Employment shrinks by 101 thousand people in Turkey’s hospitality industry

* Photo: Ali Ballı / AA

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The Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV) has released its "Employment Monitoring Bulletin" for September 2020.

Prepared based on the figures and statistics of the Social Security Institution (SGK) and Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR), the bulletin of the foundation has shown that the number of insured workers increased by 3.9 percent (by 558 thousand people) when compared to the same month last year and neared 15 million in September.

While the number of shop owners and farmers increased 2.7 percent, that of public officers increased by 1.9 percent.

While the number of insured workers was 14 million 999 thousand in September, that of shop owners and farmers was 2 million 859 thousand and that of public officers was 3 million 112 thousand people.

Highest increase in employment: Healthcare

The report has also addressed the changes on a sectoral basis. Accordingly, the highest increase in the number of employees was recorded in healthcare services for humans when compared to September 2019.

While 154 thousand people started working in this sector, healthcare was followed by the construction sector with an increase of 142 thousand and by manufacturing of garments with an increase of 42 thousand.

As for the highest rate of annual increase in employment, it was witnessed in the post and courier sector with 29.5 percent. It was followed by healthcare services with 28.9 percent and by the ones doing domestic work for more than 10 days with 28.7 percent.

Highest shrinkage: Hospitality industry

In September 2020, there was a decrease in the number of insured wage workers in 26 of the 89 sectors analyzed by the foundation.

Employment shrank by 101 thousand people in the hospitality industry. When the rate of shrinkage was concerned, the highest rate of employment loss was recorded among domestic workers with 52.1 percent. It was followed by the hospitality industry with a decrease of 23.9 percent.

Women's employment increased in a year

The employment of insured wage earning women increased by 125 thousand people (by 2.8 percent) when compared to September 2019 and by 95 thousand people when compared to August 2019.

Considered on a sectoral basis, the highest increase in the number of women employees was witnessed in the healthcare sector with 91 thousand people in a year. Healthcare sector was followed by garments' industry with an increase of 23 thousand women and by domestic services with an increase of 13 thousand women workers.

When the rates of increase in women's employment were considered on a sectoral basis, the highest rate was recorded in the manufacture of tobacco products with 52.8 percent.

While the number of women working in the manufacturing industry in Turkey increased by 81 thousand when compared to September 2019, it increased by 17 thousand when compared to this August.

Considered on a sectoral basis, the highest increase was in the manufacturing of garments with 23 thousand. When the cities with the highest increase in women's employment were concerned, it was seen that it increased by 36 thousand in İstanbul, which was followed by İzmir with 18 thousand, by Kocaeli with 11 thousand and Bursa with 9 thousand women.

Number of farmers dropped by 62 thousand

In September 2020, the number of farmers decreased by 62 thousand (by 9.8 percent) across Turkey when compared to September 2019. It also decreased by 5 thousand when compared to this August.

While the number of farmers decreased in all provinces except for Eskişehir, the highest decrease was seen in Konya. As for the highest rate of decrease in the number of farmers, it was witnessed in Van.

People awaiting unemployment pay

When compared with September 2019, this September saw a decrease of 43.6 percent (64 thousand) in the number of people awaiting unemployment pay. The highest decrease in this category was recorded in İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir and Bursa provinces. While the number of persons who received unemployment pay dropped by 49 thousand (by 62.3 percent) in this period, the highest decrease was seen in İstanbul.

Nearly a million more people get short-time work pay

In October 2020, 928 thousand people benefited from short-time work allowance. While it was most intensively used at the onset of the pandemic, in April and May, both the number of people (3.3 million) who received the allowance and the total amount (5.6 billion TRY) paid to them hit record-high levels in these months. They started to decrease in following months.

Within this frame, the number of people who benefited from the allowance dropped by 124 thousand and the amount decreased to 179 thousand TRY in October 2020 when compared to the previous month. (HA/SD)