The Bay Area job market struggled heavily in 2023, experiencing job losses for most of the year before a significant rebound in hiring toward the year’s end, according to an analysis of the Employment Development Department’s (EDD) revised estimates for employment within the region. The Bay Area’s recovery from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent business closures has been slower than anticipated.

Revised job figures indicated that the region only managed to gain 4,600 jobs in 2023, significantly lower than the projected addition of 62,100 jobs. This downward revision was quite a surprise, indicating a more severe downturn in the Bay Area than initially understood.

The East Bay region experienced the most growth in 2023, while areas heavily reliant on tech, such as the South Bay and San Francisco-San Mateo, suffered the greatest job losses. At the beginning of 2024, the Bay Area remained 46,600 jobs below its record high in February 2020, the month before pandemic-related lockdowns began.

Despite this bleak picture, labor market experts see positive signs, noting that the region has seen job growth for five consecutive months now. From September 2023 to January 2024, the Bay Area added 45,800 jobs, accounting for an impressive 23% of jobs added across the state.

For people who have struggled to find work or have had issues with unemployment benefits due to the job downturn in the Bay Area, getting in touch with EDD can be crucial for gaining access to the help you need. It isn’t always easy to get through to their customer service, but platforms like eddcaller.com can be beneficial in providing guidance on how to contact EDD and speak with a representative who can assist with any issues or inquiries related to unemployment benefits.