Southern California bosses added 96,600 jobs in February — double the recovery’s pace — but the four-county region is still 180,200 workers short of pre-coronavirus employment.
My trusty spreadsheet, filled with state job figures, found bosses had 7.71 million employees last month in the area covered by the Southern California News Group. This staffing level was up 1.27% in a month and 7.16% in a year.
Last month’s hiring compares to dropping 128,900 jobs the previous month but adding 515,300 over 12 months. Hiring has averaged a 47,600 monthly pace in the recovery from 2020’s lockdowns.
Despite this noteworthy rebound from the iced economy of spring 2020, total employment in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties is still 98% of February 2020, the last time the economy wasn’t shackled by the virus.
And Southern California’s combined jobless rate for February was 4.95% — the pandemic era’s low — vs. a revised 5.67% the previous month. It was 3.94% in pre-virus February 2020 and its pandemic peak was 17.64% in May 2020.
This has been a very split jobs rebound.
Employment in eateries, tourism and entertainment is at 856,900 — 90% of pre-pandemic staffing vs. 99% for the rest of the economy. But these “fun” businesses — with 11% of local jobs — added 22,700 workers last month or 23% of all hires.
Here’s how the pandemic era’s rehiring has gone in Southern California, ranked by change from pre-pandemic days …
Transportation/warehouses: 120% of pre-virus jobs — 455,800 workers are up 75,200 from February 2020. That’s after adding 3,100 last month vs. jobs growing 4,500 monthly in the recovery.
Healthcare, personal services: 101% of pre-virus employment — 1,175,900 workers are up 8,500 from February 2020. That’s after adding 9,100 last month vs. jobs growing 5,000 monthly in the recovery.
Business services: 100% of pre-virus jobs — 1,144,700 workers are up 1,300 from February 2020. That’s after adding 16,000 last month vs. jobs growing 6,800 monthly in the recovery.
Retailing: 99% of pre-virus jobs — 734,900 workers are down 3,300 from February 2020. That’s after dropping 5,300 last month vs. jobs growing 6,400 monthly in the recovery.
Construction, real estate, finance: 97% of pre-virus jobs — 653,600 workers are down 20,600 from February 2020. That’s after adding 13,900 last month vs. jobs growing 2,400 monthly in the recovery.
Government: 95% of pre-virus jobs — 981,000 workers are down 50,800 from February 2020. That’s after adding 8,800 last month vs. jobs dipping 1,100 monthly in the recovery.
Manufacturing: 94% of pre-virus jobs — 562,700 workers are down 33,700 from February 2020. That’s after adding 6,400 last month vs. jobs growing 1,600 monthly in the recovery.
Restaurants: Last month was 93% of pre-virus employment — 636,000 workers are down 44,700 from February 2020. That’s after adding 15,400 last month.
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Arts, entertainment and recreation: 85% of pre-virus jobs — 149,100 workers are down 25,800 from February 2020. That’s after adding 4,300 last month vs. jobs growing 2,100 monthly in the recovery.
Hotels: 74% of pre-virus jobs — 71,800 workers are down 25,100 from February 2020. That’s after adding 3,000 last month vs. jobs growing 1,000 monthly in the recovery.
In SoCal’s metropolitan areas …
Los Angeles County: 4.46 million workers are 97% of pre-virus jobs — down 158,000 after adding 61,100 last month. Recovery pace? Up 27,300 a month. Unemployment? 5.4% this month vs. 6.1% previous month vs. 10.7% a year earlier.
Orange County: 1.62 million workers are 96% of pre-virus jobs — down 62,300 after adding 17,500 last month. Recovery pace? Up 9,000 a month. Unemployment? 3.7% this month vs. 4.2% previous month vs. 7.4% a year earlier.
Riverside and San Bernardino counties: 1.63 million workers are 102.5% of pre-virus jobs — up 40,100 after adding 18,000 last month. Recovery pace? Up 11,300 a month. Unemployment? 5% this month vs. 5.7% previous month vs. 8.7% a year earlier.
Jonathan Lansner is business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at [email protected]