According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, the rate of layoffs in the economy in the first two weeks of July amounted to 7.6% • Half of the high-tech employers reported canceling or postponing recruitment •
Queue at the Tel Aviv Employment Bureau '' Photo: Yehoshua Yosef
A significant increase in the rate of layoffs took place in the first two weeks of July, with an emphasis on the high-tech industry, according to a survey of the business situation of the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) published today (Tuesday). Since the outbreak of the corona crisis, for the first time in three months there has been a decline in the percentage of employed - to 79.6% of the labor force, compared to more than 81% in June.
The rate of those fired in July from all job seekers amounted to 7.6%. The rate of layoffs from all job seekers in the high-tech industry has risen to about 7.1% since the beginning of the crisis, in addition to about 3% who are in the IDF. -8.4% in mid-June. The percentage of employees in the food and beverage services industry - restaurants and bars - increased compared to mid-June.
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"July estimates, compared to June, indicate worsening damage to the large business group," the CBS states, with close to 40% of business owners reporting that the most severe damage is due to declining demand, ie declining consumption. 17.6% indicate that the government's restrictions policy Caused the most significant damage - with this factor being particularly pronounced among restaurant and bar owners, half of whom believe the restrictions primarily hurt their businesses.The third largest cause is cash flow and credit problems, with close to 15% citing it as the main reason for damage to their operations.
Nearly half of the employers in the high-tech industry reported that they canceled or postponed recruitment of workers - twice as many as in all industries in the economy. One-fifth of business owners expect a serious loss of revenue (more than 50%), a slight decrease compared to June. A quarter of business owners are adapting to the new situation, in the form of approving employees to work from home, or emphasizing delivery services and online orders. Most business owners who participated in the CBS survey estimate that product prices will not change as a result of the corona, and those who believe that a change will take place expect a drop in prices.
The July survey is published after a surprising CBS report on June, according to which the percentage of people who lost their jobs due to the corona is 7.1% - a figure dramatically lower than that of the employment service, which sets the unemployment rate at 21%. According to the CBS, the total unemployment rate last month amounted to about 12%.