Labor report shows unemployment rate remains high in Kern County, losses in food industry jobs

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — New numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor show that Kern County’s unemployment remains much higher than the national average.

Unemployment grew to 8.9% in June 2024, up from 8.5% in June 2023. That jump is an even more drastic change from last month to this month where unemployment was at a low 8.3%.

Kern County’s unemployment rate is higher than national and state unemployment rates. California’s state rate is 5.3% and the national rate comes in at 4.3%.

At the Human Services Center in downtown Bakersfield, seats were filled and people were coming through by the minute, for welfare checks and other services.

“Fast food, construction, landscaping, irrigation, all kinds of stuff I even tried to look for irrigation companies up here. I was an irrigation technician in Virginia before I moved up here,” said Justin Looper, a homeless man applying for welfare.

Looper has been out of a job for seven months and homeless for the better part of a year, after he says a car struck his girlfriend and killed her. He was unable to pay rent and now lives on the Bakersfield streets.

“I was employed when I got out of prison … was employed up until December 2023. My hours got cut because minimum wage for fast food went up, I’ve been applying to multiple jobs its kind of been a headache,” said Rafael Lopez, who has been unemployed since April.

Lopez’s story is reflected in the data. Leisure and Hospitality jobs — which include food workers — has lost 800 jobs compared to June 2023 and now.

But there is help. At Encore! Boutique, there is a one year program for people recovering from drug addiction.

Christie Boson, a worker who went through the program says it changed her life.

Jaime Atkinson, the Director of Retail Sales, explained the program.

“We offer job training to these men and women in inventory control, in curating, in customer service, in cash handling, and other skills they can take after they graduate,” said Atkinson.

Kristie Boesen, an employee at the boutique, went through the program and said it changed her life. “It’s night and day from the life I used to live,” she said.

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