Construction employment is starting to recover from the labor shortage experienced over the last few years. There’s been a consistent increase in local hiring paced at nearly 1,000 new jobs each month. This presents a positive picture, indicating sustained gains and potential recovery from the Covid pandemic job losses. Evidence also suggests that employers are successfully finding and hiring talent.

The Labor Department reported that unemployment claims for the week ending April 13 were consistent with the previous week’s 212,000. Overall, about 1.81 million Americans collected jobless benefits during the week ended April 6, marking a slight increase over the previous week.

Interestingly, the region’s rising unemployment rate signifies a silver lining. Many workers who had stopped job-hunting during the pandemic are now returning to the job market. As a result, employers previously struggling to find workers amid the pandemic are now scrambling to hire these returning workers, leading to higher wages and more training opportunities.

By April 2023, the unemployment rate had dropped to a modern-day low of 3.3%, leaving fewer people unemployed and actively looking for a job. This suggests a favorable job market where the supply of workers more closely matches the demand, potentially reducing the rate of inflation.

Nonetheless, there are challenges, including job cuts by school districts and Tesla in the Buffalo region. On the bright side, the construction industry is showing robust employment rates, likely spurred by the Buffalo Bills stadium project. Likewise, local hospitality and healthcare sectors are seeing a job growth of about 6% and 7%, respectively.

In conclusion, despite some challenges, the region’s labor market is on the path to recovery from the Covid pandemic. If you have questions about unemployment claims or have trouble reaching your local unemployment office, eddcaller.com offers helpful information and guidance. From there, you’ll find resources on how to get a hold of the EDD or SDI, how to get through to EDD customer service, and how to reach a live person at the California Unemployment Customer Service.