The number of people employed in Clark County was unchanged at 57,800 and the total number of people employed or looking for work, known as the labor force, decreased by 100 to 61,800 between those two months.
In Champaign County the number of people employed remained the same at 18,200 and the labor force decreased by 100 going to 19,200.
That is according to the latest numbers released this month by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
However, when compared to previous trends, more Clark County residents were either working or looking for work in July than what is usually seen during that month.
When compared to previous years, the labor force and the number of residents employed went up by 700 people, said Bill LaFayette, an economist and owner of Regionomics, a Columbus-based economics and workforce consulting firm.
June also saw an increase in the number of residents employed or looking for work that surpassed trends typically seen. It’s an increase that can be in part contributed to more people looking for work or finding employment as the economy recovers from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
But, the total number of people in Clark County’s labor force in July of this year was still down compared to the same period in 2020, which saw a labor force of 63,800.
The number of residents employed in July remained relatively the same when compared to the same period in 2020.
But a rising number in COVID-19 cases can have an impact on those numbers in the future, since it can affect consumer confidence and local businesses.
The local economy has been showing signs of recovery since suffering from the immediate impacts of the pandemic last year. That has echoed national and state trends.
“The prediction is for continued growth. The national association for business economics forecast is for continued growth. But employment is not going to come back where it was before the pandemic until the end of next year,” LaFayette said.
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