Unemployment rate increases slightly in SLO County

In August, the number of unemployed individuals in both San Luis Obispo County and California experienced a continued increase, as reported by the state's Employment Development Department on Friday.

Within San Luis Obispo County, the count of jobless residents climbed from 4,700 in July to 5,100 in August, and over the past year, it grew from 4,200 to 5,100. Consequently, the unemployment rate in SLO County rose from 3.3% in July to 3.7% in August, CalCoast News reported.

Throughout August, notable job losses occurred in the state government sector, which saw a reduction of 1,500 positions, and the information services industry, which experienced a decline of 100 jobs. In contrast, local governments hired an additional 600 employees during the same period.

It is worth noting that San Luis Obispo County's unemployment rate remains lower than both the national average of 3.9% and the state's rate of 5.1%.