Nevada unemployment rate climbs to 12 percent in July

By Cy Ryan

Friday, Aug. 17, 2012 | 10:14 a.m.

CARSON CITY — The jobless rate in Clark County climbed to 12.9 percent in July, the fourth consecutive monthly increase.

The Nevada Department of Employment, Rehabilitation and Training reported today that the statewide rate was 12 percent, up from 11.6 percent in June.

In Las Vegas, there were an estimated 126,800 people without jobs, up from 119,100 in June, when the rate was 12.1 percent.

But there were mixed signals. There were an estimated 859,600 people employed in the Las Vegas area, up from June’s 814,600.

Statewide, the economy added 10,300 jobs, the department said. There were 12,600 new positions in the private sector, being partially offset by losses in government employment.

The department said Nevada had the 20th highest job growth rate among the states.

Gov. Brian Sandoval said he was “pleased that job growth continued for a 13th consecutive month, but against the backdrop of a weak national economy not all the news was good.

“As part of Nevada’s slow recovery, our state experienced a slight uptick in unemployment in July, as occurred in the country as a whole,” the governor said.

The national rate was 8.3 percent in July, up one tenth of a percent from June.

In Clark County, employment in the construction industry declined to 36,200, or 300 fewer jobs than in June. Manufacturing employment rose to 20,000, up 300 from the previous month.

Employment in the casino-hotel sector reported 164,500 jobs, down 100 from June. In the utilities, transportation and trade sector, there were 152,300 jobs, up 200 from June in Clark County.

The department reported the jobless rate in Washoe County rose from 11.7 percent in June to 12 percent in July, with 26,200 jobless. Carson City’s rate increased from 11.8 percent to 12.2 percent in July.