“Pennsylvania lagging behind the nation is actually not something new,” said Lauren Riegel, a statistician with the Pennsylvania Department of Industry and Labor. “This is something that we tend to see during most recessions and in general. Prior to the pandemic, Pennsylvania’s job growth was slower than the national job growth.”
The state’s unemployment rate increased slightly, to 4.4%. Unemployment in Pennsylvania was at its lowest level ever just a few months ago, when it hit 3.9% in December. Chris Lilienthal, executive director of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, said low pay is likely a major reason it’s difficult to hire new teachers and other school staff, as well as stress, which is further exacerbated by low staffing levels.
Stress and burnout is also a major factor in health care that predates the pandemic, said Kristen Sandel, president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, and COVID-19 only increased the demands and risks of their jobs. Many people retired earlier than they originally planned, she said, and younger workers switched out of clinical roles.