Despite Unemployment Decline, Calif. Still Above National Average
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Compared to this time last year, the jobless rate is a full percentage point lower. That's the good news, but the not-so-good news is that the jobless rate in California is almost three percent higher than the national average of eight percent and eight percent higher than North Dakota, which has the lowest rate.
According to the numbers, things are improving here.
"It's been extremely difficult…hard on the ego as well," said Philip Stein who lost his job.
It's been nearly two years since Philip Stein lost his job at a funeral home.
"Here I am the father of the household and I'm the one out looking for work," said Philip.
Since then, Stein says he has sent out more than 300 resumes and only had two interviews.
"I spent hours and hours a day," he said.
Stein and his family lost their home and hope that he would be able to find a new job.
"I had my first job when I was 16 and through high school. I'm 51 now and I've never been out of work," he said.
For the two million like Stein here in California, there is some good news. There are positive signs for our labor market. Sacramento state economics professor Suzanne O'Keefe is encouraged by the latest job report that shows a slight decrease in unemployment. She says two good signs the economy is actually improving are new jobs are being created and the unemployment rate is down 1.2 percent from a year ago.
"All signs point to some improvement in the economy, but we still have some serious concerns statewide and nationwide that are going to keep up from growing quickly," said O'Keefe.
Stein isn't ready to believe the economy turned the corner.
"I haven't seen it. I know a lot of people in our industry still out of work," said Stein.
The job search had gotten so frustrating for Stein that he actually gave up looking. Instead, he gathered whatever money he could and opened his own funeral home.
"This is something I always wanted to do," he said.
Stein says his business is starting to take off, but feels for those people still looking, and hopes to soon be someone doing the hiring.
