High Unemployment Areas

The Panel funds training in high unemployment areas (HUA). The Panel utilizes the Employment Development Department's (EDD) Labor Market Information data to define HUAs as follows:

If State average unemployment rate
is:


High unemployment areas are defined as:
Less than 10%    >>
  • Counties with an unemployment rate 25 percent higher than the State average.
    • OR
  • Sub-county areas containing large numbers of unemployed workers and having an unemployment rate 25 percent higher than the State average.
10% or higher    >>
  • Counties with an unemployment rate 15 percent higher than the State average.
    • OR
  • Sub-county areas containing large numbers of unemployed workers and having an unemployment rate 15 percent higher than the State average.

HUA training focuses on workers who have full-time jobs and fairly stable employment but earn low wages and lack the essential job skills necessary to improve their employment opportunities.