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California's Unemployment Rate Drops To 12 Percent

SACRAMENTO (AP) — California's unemployment rate has dropped to 12 percent, but the number of payroll jobs in the state in March also fell from the previous month.

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The report Friday by the state Employment Development Department showed the jobless rate was down slightly from February. The rate for the same period a year ago was 12.4 percent.

But the total number of payroll jobs in California declined by 11,600 from February to March, with only four out of 11 industry sectors adding jobs. The state has added more than 188,000 jobs since March 2010, according to a survey of employers.

The March number represented the third decline in a row for the state's jobless rate.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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