County Jobless Rate Rises 0.3% to 3.6%
Following the normal summer trend, Orange County’s unemployment rate edged upward in July to 3.6% from 3.3% in June, according to the state Employment Development Department.
The seasonal flood of teachers and students looking for jobs traditionally pushes up the July and August rates, according to Eleanor Jordan, EDD job market analyst for Orange County.
While July’s 3.6% rate is the highest the county has seen since the 3.5% recorded in July, 1988, it still remains far below the 5% level that economists say marks the beginning of a worrisome unemployment situation.
A total of 50,500 workers in the county were unemployed in July, the EDD reported, compared to 46,300 in June and 47,300 in July, 1988.
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