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Louisiana’s seasonally adjusted employment shows rise in unemployment, more job opportunities

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Louisiana’s seasonally adjusted employment shows rise in unemployment, more job opportunities


Data released today by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Louisiana’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment figure continues to add jobs as the number of unemployed individuals rise.

Nonfarm is a measure of the number of U.S. workers in the economy, excluding those in farms, private households, and non-profit organizations. The state’s seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment for January 2024 increased by 7,600 jobs from December 2023, for a total of 1,958,400 jobs, a news release said. Compared to January 2023, seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment increased by 6,200 jobs.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission uses seasonally adjusted data to provide a more valuable and telling picture of Louisiana’s jobs and employment situation.

The construction sector gained 2,400 jobs from December 2023, the release said. Other major industries showing the largest gains in the month include professional and business services, which gained 1,200 jobs, and government, which gained 1,200 jobs.

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The Department of Labor defines seasonal adjustment as a measurement that removes the influences of predictable seasonal patterns to reveal how employment and unemployment figures change from month to month. In the course of a year, the size of the labor force, the levels of employment and unemployment, and other measures of labor market activity undergo fluctuations due to seasonal events, including changes in weather, harvests, major holidays and school schedules. Seasonal adjustment reduces the impact of these changes, making it easier to understand trends.

The number of seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals for January 2024 is estimated to be 85,129.The number of unemployed rose by 2,502 individuals from the December 2023.

Compared to January 2023, the number of seasonally adjusted unemployed individuals increased by 9,231. The number of employed decreased by 680 individuals compared to December 2023. Ultimately, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January 2024 is 4.1%, which is tied for the third-lowest rate in a series history for the month of January, according to the Bureau Labor of Statistics.

“With the help of our stakeholders, Louisiana added over 7,000 nonfarm jobs for January, with the seriesseeing 34 consecutive months with an over-the-year gain,” said Louisiana Workforce CommissionSecretary Susana Schowen. “We stand readily available and are committed to continuing to workalongside our partners to host hiring fairs and provide resources for job seekers.”

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Among Louisiana’s MSAs in January 2024, seasonally adjusted data shows:

  • Baton Rouge (421,200 jobs) added 1,500 jobs from December 2023 and gained 4,400 jobs fromJanuary 2023.
  • Alexandria (61,200 jobs) lost 200 jobs from December 2023 and lost 200 jobs from January 2023.
  • Hammond (49,900 jobs) added 200 jobs from December 2023 and gained 1,100 jobs from January2023.
  • Houma (85,800 jobs) showed no change from December 2023, but gained 1,300 jobs from January2023.
  • Lafayette (205,500 jobs) added 900 jobs from December 2023 and gained 1,000 jobs from January2023.
  • Lake Charles (96,200 jobs) added 300 jobs from December 2023 and gained 300 jobs from January2023.
  • Monroe (77,300 jobs) lost 200 jobs from December 2023 and lost 900 jobs from January 2023.
  • New Orleans (559,200 jobs) lost 1,400 jobs from December 2023 and lost 7,700 jobs from January2023.
  • Shreveport (177,400 jobs) added 600 jobs from December 2023, but lost 1,100 jobs from January 2023



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Another freeze is coming to south Louisiana. Here’s where to expect the coldest temperatures.

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Another freeze is coming to south Louisiana. Here’s where to expect the coldest temperatures.


Parts of south Louisiana are gearing up for frost and temperatures so cold it may be dangerous for pets and sensitive plants Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

While New Orleans is not likely to experience freezing temperatures, Baton Rouge and Lafayette could see lows at or near freezing, the National Weather Service said Tuesday morning.

NWS forecasters said temperatures could drop to as low as 42 degrees in New Orleans, 32 degrees in Baton Rouge and 34 degrees in Lafayette Wednesday morning.

The coldest conditions are expected in the Florida Parishes bordering southwest Mississippi and north of the Interstate 10/12 corridor, as well as Mississippi areas like McComb and Woodville, where below freezing temperatures are likely overnight, according to the NWS.

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Forecasters said residents in areas that are expected to freeze should prepare to protect plants, pets and people. They did not warn of the potential for problems with frozen pipes, which generally only occur during a sustained freeze.

After the blast of cold weather mid-week, forecasters are tracking potentially heavy rainfall Thursday and Friday in south Louisiana.

WWL-TV meteorologist Payton Malone said Tuesday that south Louisiana could be looking at widespread rain Thursday morning and scattered rain through the rest of the day and Friday while WDSU meteorologist Scot Pilie’ said areas like New Orleans, Lafayette and the Gulf Coast could see between two-and-half to four inches of rain later this week.

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Louisiana man arrested, accused of trying to buy 10-month-old baby girl from woman in Angie

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Louisiana man arrested, accused of trying to buy 10-month-old baby girl from woman in Angie


NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office says it has arrested a man accused of attempting to buy a 10-month-old child in Angie.

According to the sheriff’s office, its Special Investigations Unit and the Angie Police Department opened an investigation on Nov. 26, 2025, after learning that Howell Gene Penton allegedly solicited a woman at the Angie Auction House to purchase her infant daughter.

Accused of soliciting a woman at the Angie
Auction House to purchase her 10-month-old female child.
(Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office)

Investigators conducted an undercover operation on Nov. 29, which led to an arrest warrant for Penton. He was taken into custody the same day without incident.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information about the sale of minor children is asked to call the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office at 985-839-3434.

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Louisiana among states scrambling to deal with the federal funding drop-off

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States that saw their budgets balloon during the pandemic are now grappling with the hangover as federal aid dries up, The Center Square writes. 

COVID-era stimulus—and the higher baselines lawmakers built on top of it—helped fuel major spending expansions in California, Illinois, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Washington. But with the federal government $38 trillion in debt and pulling back on assistance, those same states are scrambling to balance budgets without layoffs or service cuts.

Louisiana is a prime example: State spending rose more than 27% from 2019 to 2022 and another 14% since 2023, part of a decade-long 71% climb. Analysts split on what’s driving the surge. Erin Bendily of the Pelican Institute warns that Louisiana’s growing reliance on federal dollars is “not sustainable,” while Invest in Louisiana’s Jan Moller argues most of the growth stems from Medicaid expansion and health care costs.

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Gov. Jeff Landry says his proposed budget aims for flat funding and tighter controls on spending.

Read the full story. 





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