Utah jobs continue to rebound after COVID pandemic

The Cache Valley Media Group invited employers from around the valley to participate in this year's Job Fair.

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s nonfarm payroll employment for March 2021 increased an estimated 0.9 percent during the past 12 months, with the state’s economy adding 13,800 jobs since March 2020. Utah’s current employment level stands at 1,566,900.

The Utah Department of Workforce Services reported Friday morning, March’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was estimated at 2.9%, with approximately 46,600 Utahns unemployed. In comparison, the March national unemployment rate had lowered to 6.0%.

Mark Knold, Chief Economist at the Department of Workforce Services, said March is the first month when the economic comparison is starting to look back on the months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Job gains from here forward will start to magnify as it is compared against the job losses experienced a year ago.

“Utah’s economic situation has been improving since May 2020, which is the month after the April 2020 business closures,” explained Knold. “Utah’s steady economic improvement has been one of the nation’s best but it is still in progress and needs more time to develop, and more time to include the entire spectrum of industry level reemployment.”

Cache County saw an estimated increase of 2.5 percent, with 64,570 employed workers during the past year.  Not everywhere in the valley saw growth though. Logan’s nonfarm payroll employment decreased an estimated 1.1 percent during the last 12 months. The largest job losses were reported in information and government sectors.

Knold said Utah’s underlying trend is positive and will continue to gain steam as the year progresses. There are still COVID-19 economic setbacks to overcome but Utah is ahead of the national curve in undergoing economic repair.

The Cache Valley Media Group is hosting a job fair for those looking to find a job or make a career change. The 2021 Spring Job Fair will be held at Castle Manor at 170 W. 3900 N. in Hyde Park on Thursday, April 22 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.


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