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MAY 8 - 21, 2020
In NH jobless data, 72% of claims are in three industries So far, the hospitality, retail and healthcare industries have been hit hardest by the coronavirus in New Hampshire, according to unemployment figures released last month. So was the North Country. Even though there have been only two confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Coos County, the economic impact of the virus has driven the region’s unemployment rates to 35% or more. Statewide, the rate (not to be confused with the official unemployment rate) was 13.5% or more. From March 15 through April 24, there have been over 141,000 unemployment claims. More than 38,500 of the claims, 27% of the total, are from the hospitality industry, including nearly 27,000 bars and restaurants. Next was retail, a broad category that includes everything from department stores to gas stations, with more than 33,500 claims (24%), followed by health and education, though those have been primarily involving health services, with nearly 29,500 (21%). Outpatient offices, such as doctors, dentists and specialty clinicians accounted for more than 10,000 of these. Hospitals accounted for nearly 5,000. Business services, which includes real estate, resulted in more than 17,500 claims (12% of the total). Less affected were industries considered essential and allowed to remain open — manufacturing, with nearly 6,000 claims, and construction, with over 5,000 claims. — BOB SANDERS
90% of member businesses remain open in BIA survey The state’s essential businesses, especially manufacturers, have for the most part stayed open and have not cut staff or benefits during the coronavirus pandemic, even though a large percentage say they are losing revenue and dealing with absenteeism, according to a survey released Monday by the Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire. About a quarter of the organization’s membership responded to the poll, a third of which were manufacturers and all of which are considered essential businesses. A quarter of the respondents had more than 250 employees and over half had more than 50. All told, 90% of respondents remained open. Nearly 15% said they had an
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employee infected with the virus. It is not clear how many of those remained opened. Nearly 82% said they lost revenue, and of those, 65% said they lost more than 10%, but only a fifth of all respondents reduced staff. Of those that did make cuts, more than half kept the majority of their employees. Only 13% cut benefits, mostly bonuses. But 16% said they were likely to cut staff in the future, and 64% of businesses said they had been planning to hire but have put off those plans. More than 43% of the companies reported that employees were choosing to stay home. The biggest reason was because of child care or fear of contacting the virus, but nearly a quarter of the firms said that it was because
their workers can get more in enhanced unemployment benefits. Nearly 14% have countered with hazard pay to keep their employees working. To continue operating, 85.6% have instituted some sort of remote working policy, 75% have instituted social distancing, and most have instituted other measures, such as sanitation and handwashing. Some 45% have extended their sick day policies. Over half the respondents have applied or plan to apply for Paycheck Protection Program loans and 12% for Economic Injury Disaster Loans. The NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs is also conducting a Covid-19 survey of businesses. — BOB SANDERS
