April 3,2022-
If you want to work – we’ve got good news for you.
San Luis Obispo County jobless rate fell to 3.3% in February 2022, down from 3.8% in January. A year ago the unemployment rate was more than double that.
The word seems to have spread that jobs are now plentiful here with the county labor force- people willing to work – bulging 2,800 just since December 2021 and up by 3,700 year-over-year according to an EDD monthly report. Our workforce now numbers 137,800 by place of residence that includes self-employed individuals -a growing category.
A widely reported exodus of workers and population from SLO during the pandemic may have turned around if the big increase in people returning to the labor force is real.
EDD is reporting a 6.5% increase in the numbers of jobs up from 125,000 a year ago to 133,200. That’s 8,200 more people working in the county now according to the same survey.
The county economy added both farm and non-farm jobs and actually shows more people working in February than in the height of the holiday season in December although farm jobs make up part of the increase. Month over month, non-farm jobs in the county jumped by 1400 to 116,700 from January.
Farm jobs -year over year – are stable despite the drought numbering 5000.
Tourist related jobs up 26%
The largest increase in jobs by category came in leisure services and hospitality reporting an increase of 3800 jobs with the revival of the tourist industry here. The increase was seen month over month as well with 200 more jobs in February than in January indicating optimism that 2022 could be a big travel year.Hearst Castle is set to open after being shut for 2 years.
The restaurant industry has recovered with jobs in food and drink place up 25%. and the industry crying for workers.
Also showing good growth are trade jobs up 600, business services up 500 and educational and health up 900 – all year over year.
Construction jobs actually fell by 1000 from a year ago but climbed from January to February by 400.
California numbers
AP reports that California’s economy roared to life in February as employers added a surprising 138,100 new jobs, accounting for more than 20% of all employment gains nationally.
“It’s a staggering jump,” said Michael Bernick, a former director of the state Employment Development Department who is now an attorney with the firm Duane Morris. “Virtually all sectors are showing gains.” The California Employment Development Department reported that the state has now regained 87.2% of the jobs that were lost.
California’s unemployment rate fell to 5.4% from 5.7% in January, giving the state the third lowest rate in the country behind New Mexico and the District of Columbia. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 3.8%.California ranks third in the nation for the fastest job growth, behind Nevada and Hawaii.