Jobless claims here in Texas and across the nation are dropping.
First-time unemployment claims are the lowest in almost a year and a half. The Labor Department reports 340,000 Americans filed last week, which is 14,000 fewer than the week before. Texas had one of the sharpest declines. Statewide, the total number of unemployment claims fell to just above 12,000. Economist Hank Lewis, at Lone Star College, says locally, we are heading in the right direction.
“Huge demand for nurses, huge demand for medical technicians, doctors, etc. If you’re looking for a job in healthcare, they’re hiring. Similar, some of the airlines have started to restore jobs for flight attendants and other personnel,” Lewis said.
However, he adds some industries are having a tougher time.
“There’s been a slowdown in the restaurant and hospitality industry despite the fact that more people are eating out,” Lewis explained. “Some of it has cooled off the last several weeks in the Houston area due to the Delta variant. Some people are becoming a little more hesitant again, they’re going to wait and see.”
He also notes that larger urban areas like Houston generally have fared better in job recovery than in rural parts of the state.