Though many sectors have enjoyed job gains as employers attempt to deal with the pandemic, a San Diego bread-and-butter industry is still struggling.
A total of 50,000 workers in leisure and hospitality have either seen their jobs furloughed or eliminated in the six months since the coronavirus hit, forcing widespread business closures.
August’s numbers continue to underscore the economic divide between different sectors and industries, experts said.
Most industries remain well below their February job levels, but leisure and hospitality sits at 75% of those levels.
Private education, personal services, and information services also have lagged sharply.
Financial services, warehousing, business services, construction, and utilities have seen much more recovery success.
Peter Callstrom, CEO of the San Diego Workforce Partnership, points to the strains on small businesses in particular, despite aid programs that were supposed to prevent job losses.
“We are hearing from many small businesses that have received funding from the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that their revenue has not returned to pre-COVID levels and they will likely need to lay off workers without further help,” he said.
Local job gains, though outpaced those seen in California on a percentage basis last month. As a result, San Diego County has caught up with the state in terms of its progress toward full recovery.
As of last month, San Diego’s employment was at about 90% of its February peak, matching California. The region, though, slightly trails the national average of 92%.
– Staff reports