More than 19,000 people out of work in SLO County as unemployment claims skyrocket
Filings of new unemployment claims have ballooned in San Luis Obispo County over the past month as workers face the staggering economic impacts of coronavirus.
According to data from San Luis Obispo County’s Workforce Development Board, 19,720 people filed new unemployment claims between March 14 and April 11.
A total of 8,959 unemployment claims were submitted in the week ending March 28, followed by weeks of 6,131 and 3,737 claims filed, according to San Luis Obispo County data.
In comparison, 183 local unemployment claims were filed in the period ending Jan. 18.
A jobless claim filing doesn’t mean someone necessarily qualifies for government assistance, and the data doesn’t accurately reflect the true number of people out of work, said Diana Marin, the board’s business services specialist. She’s working within the county’s Social Services Department.
Marin said that the most recent, actual San Luis Obispo County unemployment numbers are not yet available. Those numbers are released through the state’s Economic Development Department (EDD).
Data from the U.S. Labor Department, however, showed that nearly 3.4 million jobless claims in California were filed after five weeks of business lockdowns. Nationally, jobless claims have climbed to more than 26 million.
San Francisco-based company Money Geek, which helps people make financial decisions, forecasts a peak 28% unemployment in the greater Santa Maria area, or 60,600 unemployed workers.
Coronavirus hits SLO County businesses hard
The spike in unemployment claims is an indication of the widespread impact that state and county shelter-at-home orders have had on local jobs.
Restaurants, bars, retail shops and hospitality businesses especially have been hit hard, as well as numerous other business sectors.
Many restaurants serving takeout and to-go orders have lost as much as 90% of their normal revenue stream, business owners have told The Tribune.
Other businesses have closed completely, with unclear plans on when or if they’ll reopen.
“We know that our business community and members are very anxious to keep businesses afloat, not only for them but for their employees,” Jim Dantona, the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce CEO and president, told The Tribune in early April.
Job resources for people out of work
According to Marin, there’s increased demand for workers in several business sectors, including grocery stores, food delivery, banking and security services. Sales jobs are also appearing in local listings.
She said many temporary employment agencies are posting on job boards.
“That’s likely happening because of the uncertainty for job seekers and employers,” she added. “Some need to scale back. They don’t necessarily know where to start.”
Local resources for job seekers include the CalJOBS online system and America’s Job Center of California, based in San Luis Obispo, which can be reached at 805-286-8530.
The Workforce Development Board website has information and resources for both employer and employees seeking assistance, along with its Facebook page.
Before the pandemic upended a local economy with a “really low unemployment rate,” Marin said, some workers were underemployed and the economic change could help them transition into long-term career goals better aligned with their degrees or experience.
“For some, this is a chance for someone who was in a job that was overqualified to put their degree to work, and transition,” Marin said.
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 9:53 AM.
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