While employment in much of the United States has recovered successfully from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, California remains one of the few states that has struggled to recoup jobs at a pace on par with the rest of the nation. California continues to fall behind the national recovery efforts, and many employers in the state are struggling with how to address this issue. The state’s weekly unemployment claims make up almost 20% of the United States’ new claims, even though we supply roughly 12% of the national workforce. And while job postings in the state are actually up 5% compared to pre-pandemic, the unemployment rate remains incredibly high. What must we do to get more people back to work? This session will discuss in depth what California and the state’s employers must embrace to ensure we attract and retain a robust workforce.

Moderator

Grace Gedye
Author, CalMatters

Speakers

Julian Cañete
President & CEO, California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce

Reign Free
Founder, Red Door Catering

Manuel Pastor
Distinguished Professor, Sociology / American Studies & Ethnicity
Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society and Social Change
Director, USC Equity Research Institute

Somjita Mitra
Chief of Economic Research, California Department of Finance