Secretary of Labor Martin J. Walsh
Most recent numbers from the Louisiana Workforce Commission show the unemployment rate is getting closer to pre-pandemic levels. And while some say there’s still a labor shortage because the government is paying people to stay home Federal Labor Secretary Martin Walsh said enhanced benefits ended in August in Louisiana and September for most other states.
“We saw no numbers at all of shifting where more people went back to work because of the unemployment benefits,” said Walsh.
LWC estimates about 85,000 have left the workforce in Louisiana for a number of reasons including concerns over their health, the health of their family, and or childcare. Walsh said retaining childcare workers was an ongoing issue before the pandemic and cost is also a factor.
“Why would a mother or father pay 50% of their salaries for childcare? I think a lot of people we have to think that through and in the Build Back Better bill we tackle childcare head-on,” said Walsh.
Walsh believes the pandemic gave many workers time to pause and think about their profession and where and what they want their career path to be. As for vaccine mandates, Walsh said he doesn’t believe it will deter those who want to work.
“I don’t think it is, but I think some companies are mandating too. At the end of the day when you think about a business or you think about the government, we want things to go back,” said Walsh.
Before being appointed US Secretary of Labor in March, Walsh served as Mayor of Boston since 2014.
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