TYLER, Texas — Unemployment numbers are going on a downward slope across East Texas.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, September's statistics of unemployment shows improvement in our economy. Megan Adcok, Recruiting Manager for Snelling Staffing Agency, says as more businesses began to open more employers are looking to fill positions.
During the week ending of April 25, unemployment claims filed reached its peak of 254,084.
"Employers were in a state of not quite knowing what to do," Adcok explained. "We certainly did see a drop-off and some layoffs initially in the first quarter second quarter timeframe."
The week of October 10, the Texas Workforce Commission reported 120,700 claims filed.
The Department of Labor Statistics reported September's unemployment rate dropped to 7.9%. However, that number is double of what unemployment rates looked like before the pandemic.
"It has certainly picked up since probably the end of August, I would say we've seen a pretty dramatic increase in the number of job seekers and the number of clients willing to place job orders."
Adcok says not only are people eager to find employment with businesses reopening but because of the election year.
"Election years are always an interesting time, there's always uncertainty, and that tends to be good for our business," she said. "Companies aren't sure what the election outcome is going to bring, but certainly the pandemic has brought on a new layer of uncertainty."
Since March, Tyler and Longview unemployment rates have continued to drop. In August Tyler rates dropped to 6% and Longview to 7.3%. Specifically increasing job gains are leisure and hospitality, retail trade, health care, social assistance, and business service jobs.
"We are continuing to see improvements, especially for those businesses who have been in a position to take advantage of being in an area, maybe a service area," she said. "[For example] offering internet or a food business or packaging materials for companies that are delivering goods, because of increased e-commerce."
By November 1the Texas Workforce Commission is enforcing its work search requirements. If you are applying for unemployment, you will be required to prove you are searching for work. In most Texas counties, you must show three work searches per week.