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Hopeful signs as California adds 141,000 jobs in February

Virus Outbreak California Jobs
Posted at 1:08 PM, Mar 26, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-26 16:08:57-04

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California added 141,000 jobs in February as more than a quarter of a million people returned to the workforce.

The California Employment Development Department said Friday that the state's unemployment rate in February was 8.5%, down from 9% in January.

Employment in restaurants and hotels surged by more than 102,000. That's a reflection of loosening virus restrictions on businesses as more people are getting vaccinated.

California's unemployment rate remains more than 2 percentage points higher than the nation as a whole. But employment numbers could improve in the coming months as the state lifts more restrictions.