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Austin s jobless rate drops as economy shows signs of recovery
In another sign that economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is underway, Austin s unemployment rate dipped last month as COVID-19 vaccine rollouts increased and businesses continued to reopen.
The area s jobless rate decreased from 5.6% in February to 5.3% in March, according to new figures from the Texas Workforce Commission. The data includes Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop and Caldwell counties.
The Austin region s March unemployment rate is less than half the pandemic peak of about 12% in April 2020. Since then, local unemployment has hovered in a monthly range of about 5% to 6% which is roughly double pre-pandemic levels, as the area s jobless rate was 2.6% in February 2020.
women s art project
Austin artist Sarah Wilson, with the Dougherty Arts Center and Austin s Museums & Cultural Programs, is putting out a call to nominate front-line women workers for a public art portrait project that will debut in spring 2021.
“Essentials” will feature larger-than-life, black-and-white portraits of essential women workers on buildings and walls in a citywide public art exhibition. Wilson is calling for Austin-area residents to nominate the essential women workers in their lives to celebrate the work they do in keeping the community safe and strong.
The call for nomination is open through Jan. 15.
AUSTIN
awards grants
Texas Mutual Insurance has awarded $475,000 in grant funding to Austin organizations as part of its $2,875,000 commitment to Texas workforce development initiatives.
A man carries groceries on the UT Austin campus during spring break on Tuesday.
We ll keep this post updated on how people can help and get help in the Austin area during the coronavirus pandemic. Know of something missing from this list? Email Andy@KUT.org.
Get help 24/7 through the state s free mental health hotline: 833-986-1919
Food
Get help: The Central Texas Food Bank has a map of locations where you can get hot meals and groceries in Austin. Enter your location to find what s available near you.
Credit Michael Minasi / KUT
Milan, 4, and Myden, 3, select meals from Austin ISD, which passed out curbside lunches while schools were closed in the spring.
Austin unemployment rate now 2x pre-COVID levels despite recent job expansion
Despite job expansion with new companies moving to Austin, Workforce Solutions Capital Area said unemployment has risen to 5.9%. Author: Drew Knight Updated: 12:15 PM CST December 18, 2020
AUSTIN, Texas Nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas Workforce Solutions Capital Area on Friday reported that Austin-area unemployment is still two times pre-virus levels.
Based on its November report, the Texas Workforce Commission reported that Austin MSA s unemployment rose to 5.9%. That relates to about 74,345 unemployed residents. Meanwhile, the jobless rate for Texas is 8% and, for the nation, it s 6.4%. We are here in person, by phone or by email, to assist local people with completing their job searches and securing employment with local businesses, said Melanie Flowers with Workforce Solutions. We will continue to engage people to offer support with training f