Calif. Unemployment Rate Ticks Up .1 Percent To 12.5

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- California's unemployment rate ticked up by one-tenth of a percentage point in December, to 12.5 percent.

That means the state's monthly jobless rate remained above 12 percent for all of 2010. Meanwhile, the national unemployment rate decreased in December to 9.4 percent.

The report released Friday by the state Employment Development Department said the number of Californians holding jobs dropped 25,000 from November. The number of jobless Californians rose to nearly 2.27 million, an increase of 3,000 from November.

A survey of California businesses shows the state added 4,900 nonfarm jobs last month, following a gain of 30,500 in November.

The leisure and hospitality industry added 9,300 jobs, the biggest increase for the month. Government jobs posted the largest decline.

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