Unemployment rate steady at 5.5 percent

Nevada's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has now been steady at about 5.5 percent for three months.

June numbers showed the rate slightly below the national rate of 5.9 percent and nearly a percent under California's 6.4 percent.

The numbers remain a full half percent above what the jobless rate was in June 2001.

Gov. Kenny Guinn pointed out job growth in Nevada is at its highest level since last September. He said the state is making slow but steady progress in recovering from the economic slump and the effects of the terrorist attacks last September.

Employment, Training and Rehabilitation Director Myla Florence said the gaming industry, which laid off more than 11,500 people after Sept. 11, continues to improve. But the industry is still 6,000 jobs below what it was last June.

Altogether, there are about 61,000 out of work in Nevada's 1,059,000 labor force.

Carson City reported 5.9 percent of 59,720 workers without jobs for June. That is just a bit higher than the 5.3 percent reported in June 2001.

And the Reno area had the lowest jobless rate -- just 4.8 percent of 189,400 workers. But that is still higher than the 4.2 percent out of work in Washoe County a year ago.

Statewide numbers were dragged upward by the 5.9 percent jobless rate in Clark County where 80 percent of the state's labor force lives.