US bar and restaurant jobs surged in June. So did coronavirus cases.
US bars and restaurants put out their welcome mats in June as many states lifted coronavirus-related restrictions. The number of people working in food services and drinking places jumped by 19% to 9.2 million in June, according to data released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics on Thursday.
Overall, the number of jobs in leisure and hospitality, which also includes hotels, spectator sports, and amusement parks, rose by 21% to more than 12 million.
This might look like good news for a sector that has been battered by the global coronavirus pandemic, but the latest job data does not reflect what is currently happening in the US. It’s based on a survey conducted between June 7 and June 13, before a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in several US states.
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