County sees workers and jobs enter market, hiring challenges persist

Whatcom County is just under 4,000 jobs below where it stood in March 2020. 

According to Washington’s Employment Security Department (ESD) data, the county had 92,700 jobs in January 2022 and had 96,600 jobs at peak employment before the pandemic. By April 2020, the county lost 13,900 jobs, bringing it down to 82,700. Whatcom regained over half of those lost jobs by September 2021, and it’s added another 2,000 since.

While the economy was rebounding last year, employers in the area were having difficulties hiring. Jeff Robinson, ESD current labor force statistics manager, said although people have re-entered the labor market, employers are likely still having a difficult time finding workers. 

Bob’s Burgers and Brew in Birch Bay has been having staffing issues ever since it laid off many of its employees at the beginning of the pandemic. Last summer, owner Cody Hurlburt said they were having hiring difficulties for four months. Now, he said things have gotten better but they’re still seeing issues. “We’ve had to hire a lot younger than usual,” he said.

Hurlburt said he’s hoping and expecting to serve more customers at the restaurant come Friday, April 1, when Canada drops the testing requirement for vaccinated travelers to cross the border, but that he’s nervous how his staff will fare. “We’re trying to ramp up as best as possible,” he said. “But I’m definitely nervous.”

Bob’s Burgers is still accepting job applications, Hurlburt said.

Over the New Year, Whatcom County saw a relatively average job change, Robinson said. The unemployment rate spiked from 4.4 percent in December 2021 to 5.6 percent in January 2022. January typically sees a seasonal increase, he said. For comparison, the unemployment rate a year before was 7.9 percent.

Between December 2021 and January 2022, the county lost 600 jobs, accounting for the monthly increase in unemployment. However, with the county gaining 6,900 jobs over the year, Robinson said the data shows the market is improving at a historical rate.

“I think we are seeing improvements in the labor force, but time will tell whether the numbers hold true,” Robinson said. As is the case in an imperfect science, economists readjust totals when more data comes in and initial numbers change over time.

Washington’s January 2022 unemployment rate was 4.4 percent. The revised estimated December 2021 unemployment rate was at 4.5 percent, according to January ESD data. The January 2021 unemployment rate was 6 percent. 

Nationally, the revised unemployment rate for January 2022 was 4 percent and the preliminary February 2022 was 3.8 percent, according to the ESD.

Washington and Whatcom County have recovered from layoff activity. Although seeing a slight seasonal rise around the New Year, initial unemployment claims have remained stable at prepandemic numbers since late July 2021.

In the week ending March 12, 89 initial claims for unemployment benefits were filed with ESD in Whatcom County. The week before, 142 were filed. This time last year 332 claims were filed. When the pandemic’s economic impacts were first seen in the county – the last week in March 2020 – 6,292 were filed in the county.