(Structural heterogeneities and pandemic: effects of the health crisis on economic activity and employment of Jujuy)

Abstract

The isolation provided by the expansion of COVID-19 worldwide restricted the movement of the population and their attendance at workplaces for most of the activities, causing significant losses in production and changes in the labour market despite mitigating public measures. The article addresses the effects on economic activity and employment in Jujuy associated with the pandemic during the biennium 2020-2021, comparing them with results for the country as a whole and the NOA region. The methods used are documentary and statistical analysis. The study is based on the evidence that, although the crisis was widespread, it did not affect all activities and workers equally, and the recovery has sometimes been insufficient and segmented. On the one hand, results show that the impact of the health crisis on the provincial economy was lower than the national average and that the building and mining sectors suffered the greatest losses. On the other hand, other economic areas, such as health and financial activity, were favoured in this context. Although Jujuy’s small and middle enterprises were the largest beneficiaries of national support programmes, small enterprises were most affected. The structure of employment also suffered alterations, but the economic recovery made it possible to restore employment to previous levels. Among other findings, it is noteworthy that discouraged workers, who withdrew from the labor market momentarily, grew in quantity, especially women, especially young women, who faced higher levels of unemployment. There was also a reduction in formal wage employment in the private sector, while the public sector and self-employment did not act as a refuge, unlike other crises.