California's Unemployment Crisis Goes Unaddressed by Political Candidates

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 9, 2026

California continues to struggle with persistently high unemployment, ranking among the worst in the nation with a 5.1% official rate in July 2026 and a U-6 underemployment rate of 10.3% — the highest of any state. The state's labor force shrank by 286,300 over the prior year, and sectors like tech and film production have shed jobs for several years, with healthcare the only area of notable growth. Columnist Dan Walters notes that despite these troubling labor market conditions, California's political candidates have largely avoided addressing job losses heading into the November election.