California's labor force participation rate is approximately 62 percent.
Posted by On with Kara Swisher, Checked
- Sources
- 2 support3 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 60%
On with Kara SwisherAug 10, 2026
As of 2026-08-10, the most recent California labor force participation figures in the sources were about 61.8% (June 2026, seasonally adjusted, down from 62.0% in May), so 'approximately 62 percent' holds within rounding.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What was said
… So you've got this contrast: you've got fourth biggest economy in the world, a lot of that is driven by these big tech companies and huge revenue that they bring in, and the highest unemployment rate in the country, and also, to use a really nerdy term, uhm, the labor force participation rate is pretty historically low in California. It's about 62 point something percent. At its peak in California, it's been nearly 70%. So you take those two together, the highest unemployment rate, low labor force participation, is probably about four or 5 million Californians of working age who are not working, and I think the gap is in …
On with Kara Swisher · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. The California Joint Economic Committee's June 2026 state employment update reports the labor force participation rate fell to 61.8% in June from 62% in May, placing the claimed figure within rounding of the official reading.[2]
Supports. The FRED/ALFRED seasonally adjusted series shows 62.0% in May 2026 and 61.8% in June 2026, consistent with a rate of roughly 62% in the months before the claim was made.[4]
Context. Not-seasonally-adjusted FRED data shows 61.1% in June, 61.0% in July and 61.4% in August 2026, so the figure is closer to 61 than 62 on that measure, though still within about one point.[5]
Context. Later releases show the rate continuing to slip (61.6% in July and 61.4% in September, seasonally adjusted), and the 62.1% figure in the 2025-26 California budget summary refers to 2024, not 2026.[3][4]
Context. The Reuters item reports 61.6% for August, but that is the US national rate, not California's, so it does not bear on the state claim.[1]
Sources
5 sources: 1 fact-checker, 2 primary, 2 not rated
- 1US nonfarm payrolls blow past expectations in August; unemployment rate steady at 4.1%reuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 2United States Employment Snapshot California ...jec.senate.gov · primary source · cited for: supports
- 3ECONOMIC OUTLOOK - ebudget.ca.govebudget.ca.gov · primary source · cited for: context
- 4Labor Force Participation Rate for California - ALFRED | St. Louis Fedalfred.stlouisfed.org · not rated · cited for: supports, context
- 5Labor Force Participation Rate for California (LBSNSA06)fred.stlouisfed.org · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
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