The June unemployment rate was eleven-point-eight percent, up from eleven-point-seven in May. Loree Levy with the state's Employment Development Department says it's the first increase in the rate since last September. But she points out California added nearly 29-thousand jobs last month as well. The bright spot was in professional and business services. Levy says the state and local government sector continues to undermine recovery:
Levy: "The biggest weakness in the economy has been in government. We saw more than 61-thousand jobs lost over the year, while it wasn't necessarily the biggest loser over the month it has been the biggest drain on the economy over the year."