State unemployment rate unchanged for March

Nevada’s unemployment rate in March didn’t budge from the previous month, remaining at 5.5 percent, according to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.

The Silver State gained 2,600 jobs over the month, up 73,000 or 5 percent since March 2022, the department said in a Thursday news release. The unemployment rate is up 0.2 percentage points year over year.

“This month’s report continues to reflect relatively rapid gains in employment and stable unemployment,” David Schmidt, DETR’s chief economist, said in a statement. “Healthcare and leisure industries saw the largest gains, while construction saw the largest decline over the month.”

The report said the labor force continued to grow, but unlike previous months, the number of unemployed individuals decreased while also adding more employed people.

Leisure and hospitality is above 99 percent recovered to its pre-pandemic peak. Other industries have gained more jobs compared with its pre-pandemic level such as information, which recovered about 117 percent of its peak.

In the Las Vegas metro area, March employment increased by 0.4 percent, or 4,100 jobs, since February and a 5.5 percent year-over-year increase, or 58,100 jobs.

Reno lost 300 jobs since February, but reported a 4.2 percent increase, 10,800 jobs, since March 2022.

Carson City employment rose by 300 jobs, or 0.9 percent, since February and increased 5.3 percent, 1,600 jobs, since March 2022.

McKenna Ross is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. Contact her at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on Twitter.