The Tri-Cities labor market had another strong month in February. Employers added jobs, and an upward revision of previous totals offered a more robust picture of the region’s recovery status. Unemployment claims are down for the seventh straight week. The unemployment rate dropped to 3%. To many, that signals the region is at full employment; however, over 10,000 open jobs are listed on Jobs4TN.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employers added 700 jobs last month on the seasonally adjusted report and 1,200 on the unadjusted report. Since the unadjusted monthly job totals are volatile, the seasonally adjusted metric offers better trend insights. The revised report shows employers adding jobs every month in last year’s fourth quarter and in the first two months of this year. During that five-month period, the economy added 3,500 nonfarm jobs. It shows that as of February’s preliminary numbers, the local jobs economy has recovered to the Feb. 2019 pre-pandemic level and 1,700 jobs.

The unadjusted job sector report shows the Johnson City metro area has recovered and is 1,200 jobs above the pre-pandemic level. Kingsport-Bristol is still 1,100 jobs short of recovery status.

February’s second labor market report – the household survey – shows employment in the seven-county, two metro area regions increasing by 2,673 from the previous month. The labor force was up 1,823 people, and the unemployment rate dropped to 3%.

The most recent unemployment claims report also continued declining, and Jobs4TN listed 10,199 open jobs in the region.

A drill-down by job sector to show where the growth in each metro area is or isn’t happening shows an uneven recovery status. Job sector totals are not adjusted.

The three-county Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) added 1,300 jobs in February and created 2,300 more jobs than its 2019 pre-pandemic benchmark.

The four-county Kingsport-Bristol MSA added 1,200 jobs in February and is 1,100 jobs below its pre-pandemic benchmark.

A key to assessing the recovery and restructuring of the labor market is to watch which job sectors are growing and which are not. Here’s how the February gains or losses plus their comparison to the pre-pandemic economy. The BLS does not adjust the monthly jobs growth-loss in the sectors reports.

CONSTRUCTION, LOGGING, MINING

Johnson City – Unchanged from Jan., 200 above pre-pandemic level.

Kingsport-Bristol – Added 100 jobs from Jan., 500 below pre-pandemic level.

MANUFACTURING

Johnson City – Added 100 jobs from Jan., 700 above pre-pandemic level.

Kingsport-Bristol – Added 200 jobs from Jan, 1,300 below pre-pandemic level.

WHOLESALE TRADE

Johnson City – No change from Jan., 100 above pre-pandemic level.

Kingsport-Bristol – No change from Jan., 200 above pre-pandemic level.

RETAIL TRADE

Johnson City – Added 100 jobs from Jan., 800 above pre-pandemic level.

Kingsport-Bristol – Added 300 from Jan., 200 above pre-pandemic level.

TRANSPORTATION and UTILITIES

Johnson City – No change from Jan., 100 above pre-pandemic level.

Kingsport-Bristol – No change from Jan., 500 above pre-pandemic level.

INFORMATION

Johnson City – No change from Jan., 100 below pre-pandemic level.

Kingsport-Bristol – No change from Jan., 100 below pre-pandemic level.

FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Johnson City – No change from Jan., 200 above pre-pandemic level.

Kingsport-Bristol – No change from Jan., 100 below pre-pandemic level.

PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS SERVICES

Johnson City – Up 100 jobs from Jan., 1,300 above pre-pandemic level.

Kingsport-Bristol – Up jobs 100 from Jan., 1,600 above pre-pandemic level.

EDUCATION and HEALTH SERVICES

Johnson City – Up 100 jobs from Jan., 1,200 below pre-pandemic level.

Kingsport-Bristol – Up 300 jobs from Jan., 900 below pre-pandemic level.

LEISURE and HOSPITALITY

Johnson City – Up 200 jobs from Jan., 400 above pre-pandemic level.

Kingsport-Bristol – Up 200 jobs from Jan., no change from pre-pandemic level.

OTHER SERVICES

Johnson City – No change from Jan., 100 above pre-pandemic level.

Kingsport-Bristol – No change from Jan., 100 above pre-pandemic level.

GOVERNMENT

Johnson City – Up 700 jobs from Jan., 300 below pre-pandemic level.

Kingsport-Bristol – No change from Jan, 800 below pre-pandemic level.

OPEN JOBS

Johnson City – 3,808. Labor market demand level – medium. Top five firms with open jobs:

• Ballad – 431
• ETSU – 135
• Food City – 72
• BWZX Technologies – 53
• State of Franklin Healthcare – 43.

Kingsport-Bristol – 6,391. Labor market demand level – medium. Top five firms with open jobs:

• Ballad – 613
• Food City – 223
• Eastman Chemical – 218
• McDonald’s – 159
• Hard Rock Hotel and Casino – 91

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Categories: LABOR MARKET