jobs

Genesee County's unemployment rate, at 4.8 percent for September, is the lowest percentage it's been in 2020 but still significantly higher than its seasonal rate a year ago.

In August rate 2019, the rate was 3.4 percent.

Since the pandemic hit the economy, the local employment rate has been:

• April, 14.4 percent
• May, 10.1 percent
• June, 9.5 percent
• July, 10.5 percent
• August, 8 percent

The lowest rate prior to September was in February and March at 4.9 percent. The pandemic-related job losses started in March but those job losses didn't start to show up in official statistics until April.

There are 28,900 county residents counted in the labor force. A year ago, there were 29,900 people in the local labor force.

Of those currently in the labor force (people who are employed or are actively looking for work), 27,500 have jobs. There are 1,400 looking for work.

For September, there were 21,200 non-farm jobs in Genesee County compared to 23,000 a year ago. Of those, 15,700 are in the private sector (compared to 17,400 a year ago).

While the size of Genesee County's labor force shows a significant drop for August, some of this explained by normal seasonal fluctuations, says Tammy Marino, a labor analyst for the Department of Labor.

The labor force expands in the summer with students taking on jobs and for the season. This year, many college-age workers returned to campuses earlier than usual.

The August labor force for Genesee County was 29,800, down from 30,300 the month before, and down from 30,200 the year before.

Marino noted that the August number is close to the spring number. In May, the local labor force contained 29,500 workers.

There are also people who have dropped out of the labor force for various reasons, Marino said.

"There are many factors that influence people’s decision to (not) participate in the labor force," Marino said. "No child care, fear of the virus, a need to take care of a sick relative, etc. Also, long-term trends come into play here as well, a general aging of the population overall has resulted in a shrinking labor force in recent years."

There are 27,400 people with jobs living in the county, down from 29,200 a year ago. There are 2,400 people who are out of work but looking for an appropriate job, up from 1,000 a year ago.

That puts the August unemployment rate at 8.1 percent. In August of 2019, it was 3.5 percent.

Since the start of the pandemic the monthly unemployment rate has been:

• April: 14.4 percent
• May: 10.1 percent
• June: 9.5 percent
• July: 10.5 percent
• August: 8.1 percent

The September estimate has not yet been released.

Genesee County's unemployment rate is back over 10 percent for July after a small dip to 9.5 percent in June.

The 2020 rate of 10.6 percent is 7 percentage points higher than it was a year ago.

Genesee County's unemployment rate had mostly stay between 6 percent and 3 percent, depending on the time of year, going back to 2015, and then the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic hit and many people started to shelter in place at the same time the government severely restricted business activity.  

In March, the month the first lockdown orders were issued, the county's unemployment rate was 4.9 percent. In April, it jumped to 14.4 percent, then fell to 10.1 percent in May.

A year ago in July, it was 3.5 percent.

One big factor in the local unemployment numbers is the county's largest seasonal employer, Darien Lake Theme Park, has not been allowed to reopen. The park employs more than 1,000 people every summer.

Another significant local employer that remains closed is Batavia Downs, which this time of year would have at least 450 people on the workforce.

There are currently 3,200 work-eligible people living in Genesee County who do not have jobs. A year ago, there were 1,100 people looking for work who reported they couldn't find a job that suited their qualifications.

At the hight of the previous recession. the high July number for unemployed people was 2,400.

After hitting an unprecedented 14.4 percent in April, Genesee County's unemployment rate fell sharply for May, dropping to 10.1 percent.

That is a level more in line with the area unemployment rate at the depth of the great recession when unemployment topped out at an even 10 percent January and February of 2010.

Of course, the May 2020 unemployment rate is much higher than the 3.4 percent of a year ago.

At the same time, there are also more people participating in the workforce in Genesee County than a year ago, an increase of 200 workers who either have employment or are seeking employment, from 29,300 to 29,500.

The total number of local residents considered unemployed is 3,000, compared to 1,000 a year ago, 4,200 a month ago, and 1,400 two months ago.

The state's unemployment rate is 14.2 percent, up from 3.6 percent a year ago, and the U.S. unemployment rate 13 percent. Nationally, it was 3.4 percent a year ago in May.

Genesee County's unemployment rate jumped to 14.4 percent in April, the highest rate since the Great Recession, when 10 percent of county residents were without jobs in January and February of 2010.

The highest unemployment rate for the county since 1990 (the oldest data publicly available) was 10.8 percent in January 1992.

The unemployment rate a year ago for April was 3.7 percent. In March of this year, it was 4.9 percent, as it was in February, and it was 5.1 percent in January.

The unemployment rate in the state is 15 percent.

It's 19.2 percent in the Buffalo area and 14.9 percent in the Rochester area.

There are 4,300 people in Genesee County counted as unemployed and 25,200 county residents with jobs.

In what may be the last snapshot of the employment picture in Genesee County before pandemic shutdowns hit local businesses, the local unemployment rate had already ticked up year-over-year for March from 4.7 percent to 5.2 percent.

The Department of Labor released statewide statistics today with a note indicating the household census of employment was taken at the beginning of March before most "nonessential" businesses were ordered to close or modify operations.

In that survey, 27,500 residents of Genesee County had jobs in a labor force of 29,000 people, with 1,500 residents seeking employment.

Through the rest of March, the Department of Labor reported a record number of jobless claims. It will be another month before we receive revised employment stats. Economists are estimating the national unemployment rate may now be as high as 32 percent.

In response to the high jobless claims, Congress passed legislation that: authorized $1,200 payments to most Americans; increased unemployment payments by $600 a week; and authorized $350 million in loans to small businesses that have suffered losses due to the pandemic primarily for payroll purposes.

The loans, if standards are met, could be converted into grants. The Senate is expected to vote today on a new stimulus package that would add nearly $500 million to the Payroll Protection Program.

Press release:

While the current situation hasn’t been easy on anyone, if you find yourself or someone you know looking for a job, Tops Friendly Markets is hiring for temporary and permanent positions and they welcome your application.

Stop by any one of Tops' 162 stores, their warehouse in Lancaster, NY, or visit here online to learn more.