{"id":6604,"date":"2020-04-15T13:23:54","date_gmt":"2020-04-15T17:23:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/?p=6604"},"modified":"2026-04-02T10:39:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T14:39:18","slug":"covid-19-and-the-economy-people-employed-in-montgomery-countys-service-retail-and-hospitality-occupations-and-industries-hard-hit-by-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/2020\/04\/covid-19-and-the-economy-people-employed-in-montgomery-countys-service-retail-and-hospitality-occupations-and-industries-hard-hit-by-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19 and the Economy: People Employed in Montgomery County\u2019s Service, Retail, and Hospitality Occupations and Industries Hit Hard by Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Several weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic, it has already become clich\u00e9 to say that we are living in unprecedented times, but it is still too early to understand exactly how severe the economic damage will be, and how it will effect Montgomery County and its residents. While hundreds of thousands are already suffering the direct health effects of the COVID-19, the indirect economic fallout from the near closure of the economy is also becoming apparent. From the weeks ending March 21 through April 11, over 22 million people filed for Federal unemployment insurance in the U.S.<\/a>, including over 38,600 people in Montgomery County<\/a>. This volume has far surpassed all previous records. The $350 billion Paycheck Protection Program created by Congress and aimed at helping small businesses stay afloat and workers remain employed has been popular but difficult to implement and likely to run out of funds soon.<\/a><\/p>\n

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While initial unemployment filings reveal little about the people affected, such as their profession or wages, we know that many of the hardest hit businesses\u2019 and workers\u2019 livelihoods are tied to interaction, social gatherings, and physical contact, as a recent survey of a struggling Washington, D.C. commercial district<\/a> has shown. The people who staff these businesses include, to name only a few, food servers, hotel concierges, bartenders, chefs and cooks, cashiers, entertainers, and hairstylists.<\/p>\n

These businesses and workers provide the venues, setting, and services that allow us to socialize, celebrate, and relax\u2014activities that we all sorely miss in this time of isolation. Moreover, many of these workers were in precarious situations before the pandemic hit, with low pay, unstable jobs and hours, and limited or no health insurance options.<\/p>\n

They also make up a significant portion of our County\u2019s and region\u2019s employment. Unfortunately, many people reading this blog likely already know someone who is (or are themselves) newly unemployed in this mass and unprecedented round of layoffs.<\/p>\n

Table 1 lists employment in 42 such retail, service, entertainment, and hospitality occupations in the Washington, D.C. region (occupational data are not reported at the county level; the region is the closest geographical unit for which data are available). This list is not by any means intended to be an exhaustive list of those affected by the current social distancing recommendations and orders\u2014many kinds of businesses and workers are struggling economically and putting their health and safety at risk simply by performing their jobs. However, it gives an idea of the magnitude of the potential impact to a large and vulnerable segment of the County\u2019s and region\u2019s economy. These occupations account for 484,640 regional jobs, or over 15% of total regional employment. Some of the most common of these occupations, such as fast food and counter workers, cashiers, and retail salespersons, employ over 20 workers per thousand, making them among the most common jobs in the region.<\/p>\n

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