The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that nationally, workers in the Leisure and Hospitality sector are quitting their jobs at a record pace. In May alone, 5.3% quit, a new record for this sector and twice the national average for all industries.
As we note with regularity, the Coachella Valley is over-reliant on the Leisure and Hospitality sector. By recent estimate, this sector accounts for nearly 26% of employment in the valley. So what if we experimentally applied this national statistic to the Coachella Valley? This map shows the distribution of valley residents who work in this sector. If one were to assume that 5.3% of our workers followed the national trend for quitting, an estimated 1.365 workers would quit their jobs. Imagine how this would affect a business sector that still reeling from the ravages of COVID. The map shows that in some of the more populated tracts upwards of 38 workers in this sector would quit. And if you look at jobs provided within the sector (not all jobs in this sector are filled by local residents), nearly 2,100 workers would be needed to replace those who theoretically quit.
