INLAND EMPIRE – The Inland region’s jobless rate was unchanged at 13.9 percent in March. But, some other figures paint a brighter picture.

Just over 1.5 million people were employed, the most since last June. Considering the number of people looking for work, 243,600 was the lowest since June 2009. The State Employment Development Department says that figure does not include those who gave up looking for work.

Considering the growing size of the Inland Empire’s labor force, the jobless rate has dropped only 1.2 percent since the all-time high of 15.1 percent last summer.

The March unemployment rate remains significantly higher than the state (12.3%) and national (9.2%) rates. (INT)

Story Date: April 18, 2011