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California May Unemployment Rate Drops To 10.8 Percent

SACRAMENTO (CBS/AP) - California's unemployment rate dipped slightly in May to 10.8 percent, down from 10.9 percent the previous month.

The state Employment Development Department said on Friday that California added more than 33,900 nonfarm payroll jobs in May, showing the state's economy was continuing its gradual improvement. Since the recovery began in September 2009, officials say 425,000 jobs have been created in the state.

The rate in May was more than a full percentage point better than the 11.9 percent unemployment rate at the same time a year ago.

California's figures contrast with the national trend. The nationwide jobless rate rose to 8.2 percent last month from 8.1 percent in April, its first rise in nearly a year.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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