NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana’s non-farm employment rose in November, but the figures didn’t reflect recent layoffs in Bastrop and Shreveport, the head of the Louisiana Workforce Commission said Tuesday.Non-farm job employment rose by 6,000 jobs from October and 8,600 over 12 months, to nearly 1.96 million for non-seasonally adjusted figures in November, executive director Tim Barfield said.He said federal figures show Louisiana is one of only five states with a decrease in the unemployment rate and only one of nine with an increase in nonfarm employment.”These are all welcome signs during a period when the economy nationally is struggling,” Barfield said. “However, we’re watching the employment picture very closely because we know that the national economy is affecting Louisiana in ways that may not yet be fully reflected in these numbers.”For instance, General Motors Corp. cut 798 jobs at its Shreveport assembly plant in September and International Paper Co. closed its Bastrop pulp mill in November, laying off 550 people. However, many of those workers received severance packages that have kept them off the unemployment rolls so far, Barfield said.The GM plant also will be idle for the first six weeks of 2009 under a companywide plan to cut production sharply; a company spokesman has said those workers will be eligible for unemployment.The commission said 5,600 jobs added last month were in the service providing sector, with 400 in goods production. It said goods production was up by 600 jobs over the year, with a gain of 8,000 over the year for the service sector.The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November was 5.3 percent, down from a 5.6 percent rate in October. The national unemployment rate in November was 6.7 percent, up from 6.5 percent in October.Nonfarm employment in the state’s metropolitan areas showed:— The New Orleans region added 600 jobs over the month and 8,000 over the year, for a total of 531,500. Goods producing was unchanged from October at 79,500, but up 800 over the year. The service sector grew by 600 jobs over the month and 7,200 jobs from November 2007.— The Baton Rouge area job market rose 800 from October and 2,800 from a year earlier, to 378,500. Goods producing employment fell by 500 over the month but increased by 700 jobs over last year. The service-providing sector added 1,300 jobs over the month and 2,100 jobs over last year.— The 66,100 non-farm jobs in the Alexandria area were up 200 from both a month and a year earlier. Goods producing jobs were unchanged from October but up 200 compared to a year ago, while the service producing sector showed exactly the opposite figures: up 200 from October but unchanged from November 2007.— The Houma area had 96,200 jobs: 200 fewer than a year earlier, but 200 more than in October. Service jobs rose by 500 over the month and 600 over the year; goods production lost 300 jobs in the past month and 800 in the past year.— The Lafayette area’s job total of 153,300 was unchanged from October but 2,500 more than a year earlier. The number of goods producing jobs was up 1,000 over November 2007, and down 200 from October; service jobs were up 1,500 over 12 months and up 200 in a month.— The Lake Charles area lost 200 jobs over the past year and had unchanged totals from a year earlier, at 92,500. Losses in goods producing industries were offset by gains in service jobs.— The Monroe area had 79,600 jobs in November, up 300 from October but down 500 from a year earlier. Goods producing employment, at 12,200, decreased 100 over the month and 400 over the year. Service-providing employment rose 400 over last month but fell 100 from the same period last year.— The Shreveport metro area gained 1,900 jobs over 12 months for a total of 182,800, unchanged from October. Goods producing employment shrank by 200 from a month ago and 300 jobs compared to November 2007. Service-providing industries grew by 200 jobs over the month and posted an increase of 2,200 jobs over the year.