County’s jobless rate rises at year end

RIVERSIDE (CNS) - After a six-month decline, the unemployment rate in Riverside County jumped back up amid losses in several economic sectors at the end of 2020, according to figures released today by the state Employment Development Department.The jobless rate in December, based on preliminary estimates, was 9.1%, compared to 7.8% in November, the EDD reported.The December rate was over five percentage points higher than the year- ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at 3.6%. About 100,000 residents were out of work last month, and 1,008,300 were employed, according to the EDD.Coachella had the highest unemployment rate countywide at 15.2%, followed by Desert Hot Springs at 14.1% the unincorporated communities of East Hemet at 13.8%, Highgrove at 13.6%, and Lakeland V