Start of school year fuels California job growth in August

California's unemployment rate declined slightly in August as the state added 104,300 new jobs for the month

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Public school teachers and staff returning to the classroom in August fueled another impressive month of job gains in California as officials said Friday that the state added another 104,300 jobs on its march to erase an unprecedented pandemic employment deficit.

Government jobs accounted for nearly 45% of all job gains in California in August, reflecting the start of the public school year and the billions of dollars in federal pandemic relief money that has poured into state and local governments.

Since February, California has gained an eye-popping 110,600 new jobs on average per month, according to the California Employment Development Department. Nationwide, employers added 235,000 jobs in August, meaning 44% of those gains came in California alone.

“We still have more work to do in regaining those jobs lost to the pandemic, but this is promising progress for California's economic recovery,” Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said.