California gained jobs in March as unemployment rate drops to 5.3%
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California added 28,700 payroll jobs in March, lowering its unemployment rate to 5.3%, despite a series of high-profile layoffs that have rocked the tech sector.The gains were driven by nearly 28,000 new jobs in the health services and private education sectors, according to figures released Friday by the state’s Employment Development Department.Also recording small gains were government, construction and financial jobs, though employment in those industries was lower than a year ago.Business The cuts come as the software giant invests billions of dollars in expanding its artificial intelligence infrastructure.The job growth since February pushed the state’s unemployment rate down a tenth of a point, from 5.4% in January and February.
Last year, it topped out at 5.6% and was last at 5.3% in May 2025.“As we’ve seen throughout the post pandemic period, health care was the big gainer among sectors, responsible for nearly all of the gains,” said Michael Bernick, a former director of the state jobs agency.The job growth in healthcare was partially driven by the return of thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers who had been on strike in California and Hawaii.But there also were gains in long term care, home health care and at practitioner’s offices.The state jobs picture still lags the nation, which recorded a 4.3% unemployment rate in March when employers added 178,000 jobs.In California, major tech firms have laid off thousands of workers over the last few years.
Just this month, Facebook owner Meta; L.A.’s Snap, the operator of Snapchat, and corporate database behemoth Oracle announced more.Hollywood Inc.
Walt Disney Co.is planning an extensive round of layoffs as Hollywood continues to cut jobs.Hollywood studios also have been laying off thousands of workers amid a wave of consolidation and a slowdown in streaming film production.
Disney is expected to lay off as ...