Nevada unemployment rate continues improving, drops to 8%
John Locher / AP
In this March 17, 2020 file photo, people wait in line for help with unemployment benefits at the One-Stop Career Center in Las Vegas.
Friday, May 21, 2021 | 11:41 a.m.
CARSON CITY— Nevada's unemployment rate is continuing to improve after the pandemic battered the state's tourist-dependent economy.
The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said the jobless rate in April was 8%, down from 8.1% in March. A year earlier, the rate hit a historic high around 30% with casinos and most non-essential businesses closed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
That rate has dropped off significantly as the state has reopened and lifted restrictions but state employment officials say the 8,400 jobs added to the economy over the last month is still below typical levels and some regions are still struggling.
Nevada’s Chief Economist David Schmidt says state has about 134,000 fewer jobs than it did before the pandemic.
The Las Vegas-metropolitan area added 8,400 jobs over the last month while Carson City added 100 jobs and Reno lost 300 jobs.
The biggest gains in jobs were in the Las Vegas restaurant and casino industry.