The jobless rate in Richland Parish fells during April.
According to the latest figures released by the Louisiana Works Commission, the unemployment rate for Richland Parish was 7.6 percent in April, down half a percent from 8.1 in March. It was also less than the 8.8 percent recorded in April 2015.
A total of 653 people were out of work in Richland Parish in April, compared to 691 in March and 766 a year ago.
The number of people working in Richland Parish in April was 7,910, up from 7,864 in March, but less than the 7,951 which was reported a year ago at this time.
Jackson and Red River parishes had the lowest unemployment rate in the state during April with 5.7 percent. West Carroll Parish had the highest unemployment with 12.8 percent.
Unemployment in the Monroe metropolitan area fell from 6.2 percent in March to 5.9 percent in April. It was at 6.4 percent in April 2015.
Unemployment rates fell in all nine of Louisiana’s metropolitan statistical areas in April, according to not-seasonally-adjusted data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Not-seasonally-adjusted data represent a snapshot of employment but are not adjusted for seasonal factors. The not seasonally-adjusted rate for Louisiana in April was 5.8 percent, down from 6.1 percent in March as the number of people without a job but actively seeking one fell by 6,997.