Santa Clara County's unemployment rate dropped to 8 percent in May, down sharply from a revised 8.4 percent in April. But the drop was due largely to people leaving the labor force. Overall, fewer county residents were employed in May than in April.
• The county had a net loss of 1,000 jobs from April to May. The computer- and electronic-product manufacturing sector had one of the largest losses, declining by 900 jobs for the month, or 0.7 percent, and is down by 15,100 jobs from May 2002, or 10.7 percent.
• Professional and business service jobs had a net loss of 600 jobs with the biggest loss coming from a seasonal drop in tax-accounting jobs, which fell by 900 positions, or 13.6 percent, from the month before. The temporary-employment sector often comes back before permanent jobs when a market is coming out of a downturn, and the sector added 400 jobs in May from the month before, a 2.4 percent increase. Year-over-year, the sector is down 1,500 positions, or 8.1 percent.
• Retail trade lost 300 jobs from April to May and 2,300 jobs compared to May 2002. Year-over-year, the biggest retail job loss came in employment at electronics stores, which had 1,500 fewer jobs in May compared to May 2002, a 19.1 percent drop.
Email This Page!