Yuma County’s unemployment rate is down from same time last year, but what does it mean?
News 11's Adonis Albright speaks with ARIZONA@WORK to learn more about how the pandemic shaped the numbers
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The word unemployment carries with it a particular stigma, but in the age of the coronavirus pandemic, it's a word now all too familiar. For Yuma County however, the unemployment rate appears to be on the mend. But is that necessarily a good thing?
Moises Pimentel, a business consultant with ARIZONA@WORK, says Yuma and Imperial County are unique in the sense that the agricultural industry is one of the main drivers of the economy.
“A lot of the labor that usually applies for agricultural work is not there this year. So it was a lot less than we experience, so as you can see because there’s less people applying for that type of work, the number in regard to the unemployment rate wouldn’t be as high as in previous years", said Pimentel.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Yuma County stood at 14% last November. Compared to November of 2019, the jobless rate was 15.2% - a 1.5% difference. So why are the numbers doing better when so many individuals are unemployed?
“Because the labor force isn’t there as much, so a lot of people aren’t really applying, could be because they’re scared to go back to work, as well are. We’re afraid of being exposed to COVID as well as people might not have child care. Definitely the crossing of the border is an issue, the lines are a lot longer", said Pimentel.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey announced today that Arizona is one of the first states to begin issuing $300 supplemental unemployment payments, with nearly $13 billion already being sent out so far.
