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Are skittish consumers hurting Southern California’s job market?

April 18, 2025

Southern California shed workers in March as consumer-centric employers trimmed staffing.

Bosses in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties had 7.95 million workers in March – a decrease of 4,500 in a month and 12,600 over 12 months, says new data from the Employment Development Department. The job figures released on Friday, April 18 are not adjusted for seasonal swings.

A troubling sign was that two big employment niches tied to shopping were cutting workers in March. It’s a hint that local bosses are worried about consumer confidence. Doubts about the economy’s future grow as the Trump administration rolls out policies with unclear business outcomes.

Look at local logistics firms – heavily tied to online shopping’s fate – plus utility businesses. They had 453,300 jobs in March. That’s down 8,500 in a month and a meager 3,400 ahead of last year. Traditional retailing’s 716,900 workforce was off 3,500 in a month and down 4,100 in a year.

On top of skittish shoppers, lingering effects of January’s horrific wildfires in Los Angeles County were no help to the regional economy.

Also in March, unemployment across the four counties improved to 5.1% vs. 5.3% the previous month. Still, local joblessness is up from 4.9% in March 2024.

Locally, L.A. joblessness was 5.6% vs. 5.9% the previous month and 5.3% a year ago. O.C. unemployment was 3.8% vs. 3.9% the previous month and 3.7% a year ago. And the Inland Empire rate was 5% vs. 5.1% the previous month and 4.9% a year ago.

California had a 5.3% comparable jobless rate in March. Nationally, it was 4.2%.

By the niche

Here’s how staffing in other local industry niches fared in March, ranked by the one-month employment change …

Construction: 349,500 jobs, down 4,600 in a month and off 20,100 in a year.

Professional services: 1.12 million jobs, down 3,500 in a month and off 13,300 in a year.

Manufacturing: 543,300 jobs, down 2,500 in a month and off 23,300 in a year.

Information: 220,000 jobs, down 2,200 in a month and off 13,000 in a year.

Financial: 345,200 jobs, down 1,500 in a month and off 12,900 in a year.

Wholesale: 338,100 jobs, down 600 in a month and off 8,300 in a year.

Leisure/hospitality: 934,600 jobs, up 2,600 in a month but off 18,400 in a year.

Education/health services: 1.61 million jobs, up 7,700 in a month and 74,700 higher in a year.

Government: 1.05 million jobs, up 8,600 in a month and 23,800 higher in a year.

Geographically speaking

Hiring patterns, by metropolitan area …

Los Angeles County: 4.58 million jobs, off 2,300 in a month and off 15,700 in a year.

Orange County: 1.68 million jobs, off 600 in a month and off 600 in a year.

Inland Empire: 1.69 million jobs, off 1,600 in a month and up 3,700 in a year.

Jonathan Lansner is business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at [email protected]

Orange County Register

News Details

Are skittish consumers hurting Southern California’s job market?

By the niche

Geographically speaking

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