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San Luis Obispo County’s labor force declines

May 22, 2021

By KAREN VELIE

Even though many coronavirus restrictions have lifted and businesses have reopened, the number of people receiving a paycheck and in the workforce in San Luis Obispo County is declining.

Prior to the pandemic, in Jan. 2020, there were 141,300 people in the SLO County workforce with 136,900 employed, according to the state. By April 2020, amid the lockdown that number fell with 129,500 people in the workforce and 110,300 employed.

As people went back to work, by Feb. 2021, the number of people in the county workforce increased to 130,400 with 122,200 employed.

But then employment numbers again started to decline. In April 2021, there were only 128,300 people in the SLO County workforce with 121,100 employed, the state Employment Development Department reported Friday.

While there were nearly 11,000 more people in SLO County with a paycheck at the end of last month than there were at the same time last year, there are still 15,800 fewer than prior to the pandemic, and 1,200 less than a month ago.

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11 Comments
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It’s really simple: if you want good employees, offer higher salaries. Cast blame on low wages, not the lack of available workers.


1

Who wants to work when extended unemployment plus stimmy checks have your back? Betcha SSDI claims are up, too.


12

Whatever you do, don’t take into account the fact that folks have moved in the last year, because 1) COVID and 2) dismayingly low-paying jobs in the tourist industry.


When the financial environment SUCKS for those you need to wash the sheets and dishes of the rich folks and visitors being catered to, natural migration happens.


But sure, blame folks for needing a working wage instead of the fat cats who have built their privately-gated residences off the labor of their woefully underpaid workers.


-4

Wait, what? Is this a class warfare article? I missed something. Even people who don’t make a lot of money stay in hotels and eat at restaurants-including you I’d bet. You want to pay $50 for a burger? Where do you think the money comes from? Not all jobs necessarily have to pay a “living wage”… because what is that number? Its different for everyone. And who decides? If someone is in a low paying job there’s no one twisting their arm to stay… I’m not against helping people who are struggling, I’m definitely against paying people more to stay home and go to the beach. A lot of people started in stinky back breaking jobs and kinda found their way to better jobs… Its a lot better now than ever. But we’ve been conditioned to think the sky is falling if we have to actually work washing dishes or flipping burgers.


12

In the last 2 years I’ve had 5 people come and go from one position. They’ve all been terrible in more than one way or another. Then they blame the job when they quit or get fired.


20

There’s definitely work out there. Everyone seems to be busy and looking for good help. I know my employer is looking for skilled workers in our trade and is having trouble due to people not wanting to give up their government handouts that is now become a way of life for some. They are more interested in working under the table so to speak while still receiving the handout. That’s not happening with my employer. That’s not the kind of person you want working for you anyway. The other sad truth is several haven’t been able to pass a drug test.


Bottom line, there’s work out there, if you not employed it because you really don’t want to work and are putting other things in front of your employment. I was a Production Manager for 16 years and led hundreds of employees over the years. The same traits for some back then are still keeping some unemployed today. Personal accountability, and personal responsibility. I required three things, Be to work, be to work on time, and do your job. Sadly, 25% of them couldn’t do that. I imagine six years later, its even higher than it was back then.


30

What is the number of people receiving a pension from the county?


0

Minorities make up more than 30% of the U.S. population, and that number is growing exponentially every year. Hispanics, alone, now make up nearly 18%.


Yet CCN provides a picture of an almost exclusively white work force—one person of color acknowledged. Come on, this isn’t 1950 anymore. Shame on you.


-43

He probably does have a grip on something it’s just not on reality.


2

If the picture showed a lot of blacks or Hispanics you would be calling it racist.

Get a life!


-3