Pandemic Impact: Total Jobs Declined By 1,951
Noting that “employment was impacted by economic contractions caused by the pandemic,” Minister for the Cabinet Office Wayne Furbert said that “total filled jobs declined by 1,951 jobs or 5.7% from 34,378 jobs in 2019 to 32,427 in 2020.”
Speaking at yesterday’s [Oct 25] press conference, Minister Furbert said, “This latest edition of The Bermuda Job Market Employment Briefs examines employment changes from 2019 and 2020.
Chart #1 extracted from the report
“As we know last year was particularly difficult, where many businesses, employers and employees were affected by the challenges in our economy and labour market due to the pandemic.
“So it’s important to understand and appreciate the context and background as we review and assess these statistics. The overall level of employment was impacted by economic contractions caused by the pandemic.
“While the main findings of this report focus on employment changes between 2019 and 2020 the report also shows employment changes between 2016 and 2019.
Chart #2 extracted from the report
“Prior to the pandemic, Bermuda was experiencing encouraging job growth with employment on an upward trajectory from 33,481 filled jobs in 2016 to 34,378 in 2019, an increase of nearly 900 jobs.
“The industrial groups that fueled the job growth during this period were the Accommodation and Food Service Activities sector with an increase of 562 jobs, the Construction and Quarrying sector, up 261 jobs and Public Administration with 212 more jobs over the four-year pre-pandemic period.
Chart #3 extracted from the report
“As it stands, key highlights between 2019 and 2020 are as follows:
- “Total filled jobs declined by 1,951 jobs or 5.7% from 34,378 jobs in 2019 to 32,427 in 2020.
- “Males and females registered 1,076 and 875 fewer filled jobs, respectively, while Bermudians and other Non-Bermudians recorded job losses of 1,091 and 666, respectively.
- “The number of jobs held by blacks, whites and persons of mixed and other races dropped by 902,577 and 472 filled jobs, respectively.
- “Filled jobs within the Accommodations and Food Services Industry contracted 23.4% [-1,100] to 3,591.
- “Filled jobs among Service Workers, and Shop and Market Sales Workers declined by 15.9% [-1,183] from 7,427 jobs to 6,244.
- “The median gross annual income for all job holders increased by 3.8% [+$2,375] from $62,693 to $65,068. The year-over-year percentage increase in median employment income exceeded the annual average inflation rate of -0.7% in August 2020.”
The Bermuda Job Market Employment Briefs follows below [PDF here]:
A thousand on these lost jobs were at the Southampton Princess, nothing to do with the pandemic.
Well, that is instructive. In the 3 years, 2016 to 2019 (according to Chart 2), the PLP created 347 jobs for Bermudians and (according to Chart 3) 635 for non-Bermudians.
I’m not sure which statistic is worse.