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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

It has been encouraging as I have written the unemployment rate articles in the past few months to see the number of those employed locally and across the state increase and set record highs for the year.

An unemployment rate of less than 3% seems to be holding steady for the county. In July, 20,201 Chilton County residents were employed in non-military jobs. That same month, the Alabama Department of Labor reported a growth in Chilton County’s total number of employable people. The civilian labor force grew to 20,737. Unemployment was 2.6% (536) in July.

There are plenty of people working hard in Chilton County this Labor Day weekend. Several local businesses are also hiring. It is not just fast food places, but also employers more traditionally thought of as places to have a long career.

Many companies may still be looking to fill positions from where employees moved on to other, seemingly better for them, opportunities amidst early pandemic pressures. Some may have chosen to retire. Some may have had to quit to work at home helping their children through learning online. (While it is not included in labor statistics, I think we can all agree that parenting is work.) Some may have taken better paying opportunities.

In the time since the COVID pandemic started, I know several people whose job situation has changed.

Whatever work you find yourself in this Labor Day weekend, I hope you find joy in it. I hope it can be a sense of fulfillment to you beyond just a way to pay the bills.

I have heard people say that they love what they do for their job, so they have never worked a day in their life. I sometimes wonder if these people are being totally honest with themselves. No matter how much you love what you do, there are going to be hard days and challenges and days that drain you.

We all hope these days are few.

So, whether you have Monday off or not, I hope you get to enjoy a little relaxation this weekend. And if you are looking for a career opportunity, I encourage you to check out the resources and training available through Kelsey’s Place (kelseysplace.org), Jefferson State Community College (jeffersonstate.edu/admissions/workforce-education-2/) and AlabamaWorks (alabamaworks.com/job-seekers).