Unemployment Rate Climbs in S.A, TX

"Our January unemployment rate did increase to 6.6 percent--up from 5.7 percent reported in December. We also saw a significant number of job losses--a little over 20-thousand jobs lost" said Eva Esquivel with Workforce Solutions Alamo. While the numbers aren't exactly what the experts want to see--she told 550 KTSA News it's not unusual for this time of year. 
 

"This is the only time of year where we see people released from payrolls in four of the largest job-providing industries" Esquivel said, adding "you see a lot of people let off of retail trade because the demand has decreased. Education insitutions don't have people on payroll at this time of year (January) because they're still out for holiday break. Leisure and Hospitality starts to decrease in January in the Alamo Region" Esquivel said. 

Meanwhile--the State of Texas as a whole also saw it's unemployment rate nudge higher for the month of January. 

"After declinging for six consecutive months, the unemployment rate in Texas rose slightly in January to 6.3 percent" said Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Andres Alcantar, who said the despite the increase--there are still plenty of positive signs.
 

"It (the state's economy) added 10,400 jobs over the month. Over the year, our state has added 310,900 jobs" Alcantar said. Closer to home, Esquivel expects the area to begin adding jobs again very soon. 

"I fully expect us to be in the fives (five percent range) again very soon."