By Alan Riquelmy

SACRAMENTO (CN) — California’s unemployment inched up to 4.6% in June, a 0.1% increase from the prior month.

State unemployment jobless claims rose 5,700 over the previous month to a total of 889,100. They’re up 143,300 when compared to June 2022, when the rate was 3.9%.

Over a sample week in June, 384,841 people sought unemployment benefits. That’s compared to 391,004 in May and 296,570 in June 2022.

The counties with the highest unemployment rates remain Imperial, Colusa and Tulare, at 16.1%, 12.2% and 10.1%, respectively. San Mateo County has the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 3.1%, followed by San Francisco (3.2%), Marin (3.4%), and San Luis Obispo and Napa (both at 3.5%).

But the number of Californians with jobs also went up. A total of 18,554,300 Californians were employed in June, an increase of 7,900 from May and 42,200 from June 2022.

Employers added 11,600 non-farm payroll jobs to the economy. That’s 5.6% of the national job gain of 209,000.

Agriculture jobs rose by 10,400 from May, reaching a total of 440,500 in June. The industry also had 20,200 more jobs in June than a year ago.

Out of the state’s 11 industry sectors, six gained jobs in June. The private education and health services sector showed the biggest gains for the second month in a row with 7,000 payroll jobs added. That’s due to strong numbers in the other private school and instruction, other health practitioners, and nursing care facility groups.

The leisure and hospitality sector saw a gain of 6,800 jobs because of better than expected growth in the limited-service restaurants and other eating places areas.

Trade, transportation and utilities saw the largest month-over-month loss with 7,600 jobs. That’s attributed partially to losses in groups like merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods, couriers and messages and warehousing and storage.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom this month signed components of the 2023-24 state budget agreement, along with an infrastructure package. They include $37.8 billion in reserves, including $22.3 billion in a rainy day fund. The Governor’s Office touted the budget, saying it closed a more than $30 billion shortfall while maintaining investments in education, climate action, health care and homelessness.

Employment data for July is scheduled for release on Aug. 18.