East Bay job market stays strong

Posted on Fri, Sep. 16, 2005

East Bay job market stays strong

By George Avalos
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

The East Bay job market charted a robust course during in August and is looking much stronger than it did a year ago, according to a state report released Friday.

Other parts of the Bay Area turned in more of a mixed performance, a Times analysis of the Employment Development Department monthly report shows.

It looks as if the East Bay has completely recovered from the economic doldrums of a few years ago. Over the 12 months that ended in August, the East Bay added more than 15,000 payroll jobs.

The East Bay job base grew 1.5 percent over the year. That was double the pace of Bay Area job growth of 0.7 percent over the same period and equal to the 1.5 percent pace for all of California.

The performance of the East Bay job market in August also was stronger compared to recent trends. Because of seasonal employment patterns, the East Bay lost 900 jobs during the month of August. But in August 2004, the East Bay lost 1,200 jobs.

Over the last year, the Bay Area added 1,100 jobs. Among the Bay Area's primary metro centers, the East Bay, Solano County and the San Francisco-San Mateo-Marin region added jobs. Santa Clara County, Sonoma County and Napa County lost jobs during the year.

Statewide, California added 17,200 jobs during August. The state's jobless rate was 5.2 percent, unchanged from July.






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