WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – Unemployment rates in the tri-county region are the lowest they’ve been in at least 30 years.
Some tie the low rates with high inflation, but there are other reasons why jobless rates in the north country are hovering around 3 percent.
“When we look at these issues of what’s going around is (that) employees are looking for more time off, looking for consistent hours, they’re looking at family time,” said Cheryl Mayforth, The WorkPlace director.
Erica Widrick is a full-time mother and a part-time employee. She says her job gives her a work-life balance.
“It’s a great job because I have three kids and they go to Lowville Academy, and my shift is 9 to 2, so I dropped my kids off at school, I come to work, I pick them up after school,” she said.
Widrick says the flexibility her job gives her allows her to save money on childcare – something Mayforth says a lot of job seekers are asking for and something she recommends employers consider to keep the job seeker pool strong.
“What do our employees want? What keeps them strong? What keeps my workforce going,” she said.
In September, Lewis County had the lowest jobless rate in the region: 2.8 percent.
County Manager Ryan Piche says this is expected.
“When you got inflation high, which means the economy is growing rapidly, that means that a lot of manufacturing and a lot of businesses are doing well. It also means that it is a tight labor market,” he said.
Piche says Lewis County is currently working to connect employers with those seeking a job.
“We can hopefully get the employers to register the job openings they have. We can hopefully get some people that are seeking jobs to come through the door, and hopefully we’re playing matchmaker,” he said.
Jefferson County’s unemployment was 3.2 percent in September while St. Lawrence County’s was 3.4 percent – rates Mayforth says are also historically low.
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