Employment Effects of COVID-19 across States, Sectors

Albert, Sarah; Foerster, Andrew T.; Sarte, Pierre-Daniel G.

Journal Article

Employment Effects of COVID-19 across States, Sectors

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic generated sharp losses in employment in early 2020, followed by a partial but incomplete recovery that continues to this day. The effects on employment in business sectors that produce goods and those that provide services varied substantially across states. This was the case during both the initial drop and the subsequent recovery. The extent of the cross-state variation and how the variation has evolved over time has been unlike any past recessions, making the pandemic recession and recovery unprecedented in both its severity and its uneven impact.

Keywords: covid19; employment; labor markets; pandemic; states; sectors;