Nevada adds jobs back in March; statewide unemployment rate continues to improve
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Thu, 04/15/2021 - 10:15am
Job figures released Thursday show improvement in the Nevada employment sector, with 4,700 jobs added in March, according to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation. Carson City's job growth remained unchanged for the month compared to February numbers.
In its March 2021 economic report, DETR says jobs remain below typical levels, and are down 134,800 jobs since March 2020, for an annual decline of 9.4 percent, due to the pandemic in which the state underwent an emergency shut down.
In March 2021, the total employment level in the state is 1,296,200. The state’s unemployment rate in March is 8.1 percent, down from 8.4 percent in February but up 1.7 percentage points when compared to March 2020.
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) Employment (Seasonally Adjusted):
— Carson City employment was unchanged since February, a decrease of 300 jobs (-1.0%) since March 2020.
— Reno employment had an increase of 700 jobs (0.3%) since February, a decrease of 4,800 jobs (-1.9%) since March 2020.
— Las Vegas employment increased by 4,400 jobs (0.5%) since February, a decrease of 126,200 jobs (-12.1%) since March 2020.
“For the state as a whole, employment increased over the month with leisure and hospitality contributing the largest increase in employment, with the gains concentrated in the Las Vegas area. Although job growth from February to March is typical in leisure and hospitality, this month’s job growth and news about increased activity following relaxation of capacity restrictions on businesses is encouraging. Additionally, the professional and business services industry continues to see job growth, as temporary help services and professional service firms add back staff, in part to support the leisure and hospitality industry. Las Vegas’s transportation industry also realized job gains, specifically in air freight and air passenger transport firms.
Nevada’s unemployment rate declined slightly from February’s revised level but remains above eight percent. While there is still ongoing significant disruption highly concentrated in the Las Vegas area, the state is adding jobs back in businesses that cater to tourism which indicates firms in the state may be gearing up to capture the pent up demand for travel and tourism worldwide.
The combination of increasing activity, relaxed restrictions, increasing vaccine availability, and the return of work search requirements on unemployment claims should be reflected in increased employment and economic activity as we head into the summer, though current employment levels still remain well below pre-pandemic levels,” said David Schmidt, Chief Economist.
DETR’s report also notes that additional labor market data can be found on the department’s employment and unemployment dashboards located at www.nevadaworkforce.com.
