Employment continues to fall, even if the decline in May is less than in April. The data published by Istat reveal it, confirming the loss of half a million jobs during the emergency period, i.e. from February to May 2020, the reduction of people looking for work by almost 400 (although they increased in May) and the increase in the inactive by almost 900 units. The unemployment rate so it goes back to 7,8% (+1,2 points) and, among young people, to 23,5% (+2 points), while overall the employment rate drops to 57,6%.
In May, compared to April, the decrease in employment therefore continued and the number of people looking for work began to grow again, against a marked drop in inactivity. After two months of marked decrease, the number of hours worked per capita also increased. The decrease in employment on a monthly basis (-0,4% equal to -84 thousand units) mainly involves women (-0,7% against 0,1% of men, equal to -65 thousand and -19 thousand respectively), the employees (-0,5% equal to -90 thousand) and the under 50s while the self-employed increase slightly and the over-fifties.
Istat adds that the increase in May of job seekers (+18,9% equal to +307 thousand units) is more evident among women (+31,3%, equal to +227 thousand units) than men (+8,8%, equal to +80 thousand) and involves all age classes. From a cyclical point of view, i.e. compared to May 2019, employment decreased by -2,6% equal to -613 thousand units, involving both gender components, temporary employees (-592 thousand), the self-employed (-204 thousand) and all age groups. The only exceptions are the over 50s and permanent employees (+183 thousand). The employment rate fell by 1,5 percentage points in one year.
Finally, Istat also offers a comparison between the March-May 2020 quarter and the previous one (December 2019-February 2020) which inevitably shows a drop in employment: -1,6%, equal to -381 thousand units, for both gender components. Job seekers also decreased in the quarter (-22,3%, equal to -533 thousand), while the number of inactive people aged between 15 and 64 is on the increase (+6,6% equal to +880 thousand units). The survey was affected by the obstacles that the ongoing health emergency poses to the collection of basic data. Corrective actions were developed which countered the negative statistical effects and made it possible to process and disseminate the data for the month of May.
