Unemployment rates again climbed in Siskiyou and Modoc counties in December, based on reports from the state of California's Employment Development Department.
Rates in Siskiyou County rose from 16.8 percent in November to 18.3 in December, while in Modoc County the increase was from 13.4 to 14.4 percent.
Although increases are normal during the winter because of the loss of seasonal farm and federal government jobs, unemployment levels have been higher than normal in recent years because of the ongoing economic slowdown.
On a positive note, December's unemployment rates were lower than the 19.6 percent recorded in December 2010 in Siskiyou and the 15 percent in Modoc that same month.
In Siskiyou County, the number of farm jobs in December was 530, down from 650 in November and 1,000 in October. In Modoc County, the farm jobs decline has been from 370 in October, 350 in November to 310 in December.
Other sharp declines in Siskiyou County were in mining and logging, federal government, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing. In Modoc County, job losses were reported in state and federal government, trade/transportation/utilities, and leisure and hospitality.