TULSA, Okla. — Oklahoma's unemployment numbers keep declining in the recent weeks from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Many believe this could mean Oklahoma's economy is on the rebound, but there are a few things to factor in when it comes to the state's recovery.
The first, not every workforce or career field is recovering at the same speed.
The Director of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission Shelley Zumwalt said the energy sector and the entertainment business are two industries still struggling to bounce back from damage due to the pandemic.
The second thing, possibly creating false reading when it comes to the health of the economy, Zumwalt said many Oklahomans are not planning on returning to the workforce, which means they are technically not unemployed.
Still, considering those two factors, Zumwalt said hundreds of people are coming off unemployment and there are fewer new applicants each week.
“I am hopeful that we will continue to see a decline. I think seeing a 5.7 unemployment rate, I don’t know how much lower we will go from there with that one, considering the energy sector, but I could be wrong though. Maybe we will see sub 4 percent unemployment,” Zumwalt said.
Last week, nearly 2,000 fewer people filed new unemployment claims compared to the week before. That's more than a 6,000 people returning to the workforce, or deciding to not return to work at all.
Although these numbers show a promising decline, there is still over 100,000 people collecting unemployment in the sooner state, which means people still need help finding work.
The fall season means the holidays are quickly approaching and several businesses are looking to hire help. CLICK HERE to see who's hiring in Green Country.
More local job resources:
Forever 21 Nation wide hiring event application click here.
For the other jobs in your area, click here.
If you are still looking for help with your unemployment claim, numbers to call are listed here.
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