Record High for ‘Fun’ Jobs in Southern California in May – Orange County Register

In May, Southern California experienced a record-high number of jobs in the “fun” industry, signaling a near completion of the leisure and hospitality industry’s recovery from the pandemic. According to recent state jobs data, there were 966,900 workers in industries such as dining, entertainment, and lodging, an increase of 14,400 from the previous month and 52,900 more than the previous year.

This is the first time since February 2020, before the pandemic disrupted the economy, that the number of these fun jobs in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties has exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

However, the recovery in the leisure and hospitality industry has been uneven. While local fast food jobs reached a record high of 358,100 in May, experiencing steady growth over the past year, sit-down dining has been slower to rebound, with 293,800 workers in May, still below pre-pandemic levels. The hotel industry has also been slow to recover, with 84,700 workers in May, lower than pre-pandemic levels due to some hotels remaining closed and a lag in business travel.

On the other hand, jobs in arts, entertainment, and recreation businesses reached an all-time high in May at 182,400, driven by increased consumer demand for leisure activities as COVID-19 fears have subsided.

Geographically, the increase in fun jobs has been relatively consistent across the region. Los Angeles County has the highest number with 554,200 fun jobs, followed by Orange County with 231,100 jobs, and the Inland Empire with 181,600 jobs. It is worth noting that fast food employment accounts for a significant portion of restaurant workers in all three counties.

Overall, there has been a hiring spree across all industries in Southern California, with a record 8.04 million people employed in May.

Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at [email protected]