Restaurants Add Jobs in April

The leisure and hospitality industry had the largest month-over employment gain in April in Los Angeles County, the Employment Development Department announced. Payrolls in the sector increased by 3,600 jobs, the department said in a statement. The majority of the gains were in accommodation and food services with an increase of 2,100 jobs. Food services and drinking places added 2,000 jobs, the statement said. The county’s seasonally adjusted unemployment remained unchanged at 12.3 percent, matching March’s unemployment rate, the statement said. The rate marked an increase from April 2009 when the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 11.2 percent. Civilian employment increased by 20,000 to 4.2 million in April 2010. Meanwhile, unemployment decreased by 2,000 to 599,000 in the same month, according to the statement. California’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stayed at 12.6 percent in April. The state’s unemployment rate was 11 percent in April 2009. Government employment added 3,400 jobs, while trade, transportation and utilities reported the largest decline with a loss of 2,800 jobs over the month, the statement said. Jessica Selva