SCDEW today released the monthly employment situation report for September 2020. Here are the reported numbers for Anderson County:
|
VS LAST MONTH |
||||
|
|
LF |
EMP |
UNEMP |
RATE |
|
Sep-20 |
93,948 |
90,088 |
3,860 |
4.1% |
|
Aug-20 |
94,650 |
89,018 |
5,632 |
6.0% |
|
CHANGE |
(702) |
1,070 |
(1,772) |
|
The unemployment rate showed an encouraging decline from 6.0% in August to 4.1% now, driven by the addition of 1,070 jobs for county residents over the month. Please note also, though, that the total labor force declined by 702 during the month as well.
What we’re seeing here (increased employment, decrease in labor force) generally agrees in principle with what we usually observe from August to September; however, in this case the changes are a bit more extreme than what we would see under what might pass for normal conditions. All things being equal, I would have expected an increase in employment of between 600 and 700 accompanied by a decline in labor force of about 200.
Using the comparison against last year method, total employment in Anderson County is up by 571 versus September 2019, so that seems to indicate we are still on our way towards getting “caught up” from the COVID-induced strains on the economy; however, we are not there yet and still have some ways to go.
To put in practical terms—things are still rather unsettled out there.
Our community’s numbers seem to mirror what is going on throughout the Upstate. Our regional numbers are, in general, on par with or better than those observed statewide and in other regions across the Palmetto State. The state’s full report can be accessed here: https://www.dew.sc.gov/docs/default-source/press-releases/september-2020-press-release-final.pdf?sfvrsn=95e64888_0.