Holiday gift: Southern California retail jobs top pre-pandemic levels – OCRegister
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What looks to be a strong holiday shopping season has pushed Southern California retailers’ payrolls back above pre-pandemic employment levels.
In November, merchants in the four-county region added 23,400 workers compared with jobs growing 7,600 monthly in the recovery. The holiday shopping month is traditionally a big hiring period for retailers, with an average 28,000 workers added since 2000 to meet the shopping rush.
November’s hiring spree put retailers’ staff at 740,600 workers, up 2,200 from February 2020, before the economy was shackled by the coronavirus. At its worst in April 2020, the retail industry was at 80% of pre-pandemic employment.
My trusty spreadsheet, filled with state job figures released Friday, Dec. 17, found bosses in all industries in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties added 68,000 jobs in November. SoCal’s 7.57 million employees for November was up 0.9% in a month and 5.7% in a year.
The regionwide hiring pace was down from 97,900 jobs added in October but above the 47,200 monthly average since the jobs recovery from shutdowns began in the spring of 2020. Pandemic-linked economic challenges leave the region 318,400 workers short of pre-coronavirus employment — or 96% of February 2020 levels.
Southern California’s combined jobless rate for November was 6.16% — a pandemic-era low — vs. a revised 6.91% the previous month, the spreadsheet says. The rate was 4.17% in February 2020, and peaked at 17.14% in May 2020.
Still, this is a split recovery. Employment in eateries, tourism and entertainment is at 822,200 — 86% of pre-pandemic staffing vs. 97% for the rest of the economy.
And these “fun” businesses — with 11% of local jobs — are sluggish once again. They added just 200 workers last month as an expected seasonal was amplified by renewed coronavirus fears and continuing business limitations.
Here’s how Southern California employment fared in leisure and hospitality niches in November …
Restaurants: Last month was 86% of the pre-virus employment level compared with the 56% pandemic low. The 588,600 workers are down 92,100 from February 2020. That’s after adding 1,100 last month vs. jobs growing 10,300 monthly in the recovery.
Hotels: 77% of pre-virus jobs — vs. a 41% pandemic low. The 74,300 workers are down 22,600 from February 2020. That’s after dropping 200 last month vs. jobs growing 1,300 monthly in the recovery.
Arts, entertainment and recreation: 91% of pre-virus jobs — vs. a 42% pandemic low. The 159,300 workers are down 15,600 from February 2020. That’s after dropping 700 last month vs. jobs growing 2,900 monthly in the recovery.
And hiring trends in other key SoCal categories …
Transportation/warehouses: 118% of pre-virus jobs — vs. a 93% pandemic low. The 449,500 workers are up 68,900 from February 2020. That’s after adding 16,700 last month vs. jobs growing 4,800 monthly in the recovery.
Healthcare, personal services: 100% of the pre-virus employment level compared with a 91% pandemic low. The 1,168,700 workers are up 1,300 from February 2020. That’s after adding 6,900 last month vs. jobs growing 5,400 monthly in the recovery.
Business services: 98% of pre-virus jobs vs. an 87% pandemic low. The 1,118,000 workers are down 21,700 from February 2020. That’s after adding 10,000 last month vs. jobs growing 6,400 monthly in the recovery.
Construction, real estate, finance: 96% of pre-virus jobs vs. an 89% pandemic low. The 647,400 workers are down 26,600 from February 2020. That’s after dropping 3,900 last month vs. jobs growing 2,500 monthly in the recovery.
Government: 95% of pre-virus jobs vs. an 86% pandemic low. The 981,300 workers are down 50,500 from February 2020. That’s after adding 10,800 last month vs. jobs dipping 1,300 monthly in the recovery.
Manufacturing: 93% of pre-virus jobs vs. an 88% pandemic low. The 555,100 workers are down 41,300 from February 2020. That’s after adding 800 last month vs. jobs growing 1,500 monthly in the recovery.
And employment patterns, geographically speaking …
Los Angeles County: 95% of pre-virus jobs — down 251,500 after adding 42,800 last month. Recovery pace? Up 26,000 a month. Unemployment? 7.1% this month vs. 7.8% previous month vs. 11.9% a year earlier.
Orange County: 97% of pre-virus jobs — down 57,200 after adding 9,500 last month. Recovery pace? Up 10,700 a month. Unemployment? 4.1% this month vs. 4.7% previous month vs. 6.6% a year earlier.
Riverside and San Bernardino counties: 99% of pre-virus jobs — down 9,700 after adding 15,700 last month. Recovery pace? Up 10,500 a month. Unemployment? 5.4% this month vs. 6.3% previous month vs. 7.8% a year earlier.
Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com
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