ABS Doesn't See Any Clear Impact Of JobKeeper Cessation On Labour Mkt

Alongside the release of the labour market report the ABS noted that "we have not seen large changes in the indicators that would suggest a clear JobKeeper impact, such as an increase in people working reduced or zero hours for economic reasons or because they were leaving their job. We also haven't seen large net flows out of employment across many population groups. Some of the 31,000 fall in employment may relate to the end of JobKeeper, but it could also reflect usual month-to-month variation in the labour market and some larger than usual seasonal changes similar to those we saw earlier in the year. Seasonal factors explained the larger fall in hours (down 0.7 per cent), which was again attributed to higher than usual numbers of people taking leave around the public and school holidays. Like we saw in January, the number of people taking leave over the Easter public and school holidays was also higher than in the past. The 31,000 (or 0.2 per cent) fall in employment was due to a decline in female employment, down by 0.6 per cent, while male employment increased by 0.1 per cent. Female hours fell by 1.6 per cent, while male hours remained steady."