Unemployment By The Numbers In Orange County As Holidays Loom

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Orange County's unemployment dropped in November but was still well above pre-coronavirus numbers, according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Development Department.

As the coronavirus reached our county in March, businesses shuttered upon Gov. Gavin Newsom's safer-at-home orders. In that unprecedented time, Orange County residents learned the meaning of "essential work" and what side of that dividing line their jobs rested on.

Read: Staying Essential Amid Coronavirus Closure In Mission Viejo

For many, that meant the first time filing for unemployment. For business owners, that meant filing for PPP loans, grants and doing what they could to furlough workers until it was safe to bring their businesses back online.

Still, others ventured into the world of business ownership, launching new stores against the worst job market since the recession.

Sleepless In Laguna Beach bookstore owners Joe Anzenberger and Lisa Ann Reed have pivoted their business plan many times since opening mid-summer. Months after opening their storefront amid a pandemic, they closed their brick and mortar shop. Now, they sell their remaining inventory of books online. They participate in local popups, like the holiday market over the weekend.

"The locals were really supportive but the lack of tourism has hurt," Anzenberger tells Patch. They hang on to hope that they can reopen the store after COVID.

On a much larger scale, 9 months after coronavirus came to town, Disneyland Resort, Orange County's largest employer, laid off thousands of employees, with no clear path as to when that theme park will reopen. The county is still struggling in many areas amid another stay-at-home order in advance of the holidays. As hospitals and ICUs fill, residents are asked to shop small businesses or order take-out from neighborhood restaurants, even while many seek food boxes from local charities for the first time in their lives.

Read: Orange County Hospitals 'Bombarded'; No Room In ICUs: Report

Compared to the year before, Orange County's November 11% unemployment rate was nearly 7 percent higher than November of 2019. That figure was 4.3%, in the time before the global pandemic closed businesses, diminished workforces, and sent many newcomers to the unemployment office for assistance.

In Orange County, where seasonally adjusted numbers were not available, the November jobless rate was 6.4%, down from 7.5% in October.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.2% in November, down from 9% in October, but well above the 3.9% rate from November 2019. The nation's comparable estimates were 6.7% in November, 6.9% in October, and 3.5% in November 2019.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 11% in Los Angeles County in November, down from a revised 12% in October.

According to the EDD, total nonfarm employment in Los Angeles County increased by 29,800 jobs between October and November to reach more than 4.2 million. According to the agency, the trade, transportation, and utility sectors showed the greatest gains, with 22,700 additional jobs, thanks to the holiday and seasonal hiring.

Read:

Study: Many Families Face Trouble Paying Bills In Pandemic

How have you been affected by the coronavirus pandemic? Let us know in comments, or by emailing your Patch editor.

City News Service, Patch Editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.