Economic data looks less grim in national and county numbers

By ANNEMARIE SCHUETZ
Posted 8/12/20

MONTICELLO, NY — As the U.S. added 1.8 million jobs in July, Sullivan County has seen some glimmers of light too.

“There’s hiring going on,” said Laura Quigley, county …

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Economic data looks less grim in national and county numbers

Posted

MONTICELLO, NY — As the U.S. added 1.8 million jobs in July, Sullivan County has seen some glimmers of light too.

“There’s hiring going on,” said Laura Quigley, county community resources commissioner. “Residential facilities are hiring, especially for direct care professionals,” she said. Construction and other trades are hiring. “Laborers, carpenters, HVAC, mechanics.” Even hospitality jobs.

”There’s work out there,” Quigley said. “We know how to get through this.” 

She presented the new numbers to the Economic Development Committee on August 6. 

The national unemployment rate is now 10.2 percent, down from 11.1 in June, according to a release Friday morning by the Department of Labor. “Notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, government, retail trade, professional and business services, other services and health care,” the Department of Labor said. 

The county’s unemployment rate stands at 12.2 percent, which puts it at 50th in the state, Quigley said. In June 2019, it was 3.6 percent. 

But even that is complicated. The better measurement of unemployment, she said, is the U6 rate, which includes people who are working part-time but would rather work full-time, and those who have given up. 

Sullivan County’s U6 rate is probably about 17 percent, she said, and nationally the U6 is 18 percent.

What jobs were lost here? 

In leisure and hospitality, Sullivan County saw a 29.4 percent decrease. Trade, transportation and utilities employment dropped 10.9 percent. Other services decreased 9.1 percent. 

“They’re high numbers—they’re not good numbers—but it’s okay because there are lots of job opportunities out there. We’re continuing outreach [to] get people linked up,” Quigley said.

The career center is open for business, but not in person yet. See them online at www.bit.ly/scworkforcedevelopment or call 845/794-3340.

Monticello, economic, data, jobs, unemployment,

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