Unemployment claims decline for second week

By donfenley.com on March 25, 2021

Unemployment claims in the Tri-Cities region have declined for the second straight week.

There were 2,312 continued claims for Carter, Greene, Hawkins, Johnson Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties for the week ending March 25, according to the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

There were 6,019 open jobs being advertised in the most current Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the two NE Tennessee counties in the Kingsport-Bristol MSA.

The most current Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) count of non-farm jobs shows the region has reclaimed 13,000 of the 18,500 jobs last April when COVID crashed the economy.

BLS reports also show there were 8,000 fewer jobs than there was January last year and that there were 7,448 fewer people employed than last year. A full report on the January labor market can be found at Tri-Cities economic recovery has a soft spot

Don Fenley is a seasoned Tri-Cities journalist specializing in housing, economic and demographic trends. The Times-News carries his reports on the Sunday Money Page. He is also a frequent contributor to Business Matters on WETS and the Business Journal of the Tri-Cities’ print and electronic editions. Detailed or specific reports are available by contacting him at djfenley@gmail.com.