14 SAN FERNANDO VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL AUGUST 30, 2021

THE LIST Mixed Picture for Labor; Looks Murky Ahead

panies such as Kaiser Permanente and Am- Amgen employees LIST: Employers adjust to gen Inc. added 207 employees and 358 em- In May of this year, the Moorpark Acorn pandemic while workers are ployees, respectively. Amgen ranks No. 4 on reported that many employees of Thousand the list of Private Employers, while Kaiser Oaks-based Amgen would continue remote ‘reexamining their options.’ ranks No. 2. work post-pandemic. “Amgen, which employs around 5,000 By ANTONIO PEQUEÑO IV Staff Reporter Labor headwind people in Ventura County, said an internal According to an August employment survey showed 80 percent of employees liked Employment levels at large companies report by Beacon Economics, an independent the idea of being able to continue working have turned in a mixed performance through- economic research and consulting firm, em- from home all or at least some of the time,” out the COVID-19 pandemic and are currently ployment in the Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ven- the Acorn wrote. in a growth period that is threatened by the tura metropolitan statistical area went Remote work also poised itself as a Delta variant. from 313,600 in August 2019 to 297,300 last Downsized: Disney in Burbank. financial boon for Amgen, which said in a The start of the COVID-19 pandemic month, verifying local employment’s slow and shareholder call earlier this year that lower last year marked a plummet in employment steady recovery after tanking in April 2020. from home after the coronavirus outbreak operating costs helped maintain its bottom for nearly every company. Since then, the em- “With schools reopening, we could see ends. line despite declining revenues in the pan- ployment market and economy have gradually a surge of workers return to the labor mar- Labor attorney Thomas Lenz thinks demic. recovered. ket, easing labor shortages,” Taner Osman, that generally, employers want people to return Lenz said that employers could stand A comparison of the Business Jour- Beacon’s research manager, said in the report. to the traditional workplace out of fear that to benefit from remote work considering the nal’s 2019 and 2021 lists of Private Employ- Osman added that the spread of the Delta employees may lose interest in working for decreased or diminished need for physical ers ranked by number of Valley-area employ- variant might motivate workers to remain out them or that their employees will pursue other office space. ees reveals that the pandemic has resulted of the labor force which could create a short- opportunities. Lenz also said that the public health issues in reductions in the workforce of some com- term headwind for labor supply. However, Lenz said that the pandemic and at hand have given employees more leeway, panies, while others, such as those involved in One of the larger factors in the fluctuat- the increased adoption of technology as a a development that will require employers to biotechnology or health care, have increased. ing employee retention rate caused by the means of conducting or assisting business has pivot their respective workforces. For example, No. 1 ranked Walt Disney COVID-19 pandemic is the transition into created a period of reexamination for employ- “Employers need to adjust to this chang- Co. went from an estimated 12,000 Valley-area remote work for several industries in the ees and their role with employers. ing environment if they’re going to attract employees in 2019 to an estimated 11,250 in economy. “I think on the flip side you have a and retain people,” he said. “So, safety is 2021. The media conglomerate’s theme park A December 2020 study from the Pew workforce that is reexamining their options critical, being more nimble and flexible is employees experienced mass layoffs during the Research Center concluded that many work- and employers who are facing a skill short- important too.” thick of the pandemic. It recently announced ers would like to continue remote age in a number of different industries and Lenz added that considering the unpre- the relocation of 2,000 employees from South- work even after the pandemic is over. Of having difficulty meeting their staffing needs,” dictable nature of COVID-19 surges and ern California to Florida, citing the Sunshine 5,858 U.S. adults surveyed, 20 percent worked Lenz said. “I think that there are going to be corresponding public health measures, the State’s “business friendly climate.” from home before the start of the pandemic things about the virtual workforce and working employment outlook for the near future is In the health care and biotech sectors, com- and 54 percent said they would want to work remotely that people like.” hard to predict.

PUBLIC-SECTOR EMPLOYERS THE LIST Ranked by number of Valley-area employees

Rank Company Employees People Served Annual Budget Headquarters Top Local Executive • name Valley-area • 2020-2021 • name • address (in millions) • title • phone

Los Angeles Unified School District 16,5501 620,000 students $8,556 Los Angeles Megan Reilly 1 333 S. Beaudry Ave. Interim Superintendent Los Angeles 90017 (213) 241-1000

Edwards Air Force Base 11,000 U.S. Air Force NA Edwards AFB Matthew Higer 2 305 E. Popson Ave. Commander Edwards AFB CA 93524 (661) 277-3510

Los Angeles County 10,5001 10 million residents 37,600 Los Angeles Fesia Davenport 3 500 W. Temple St. CEO Los Angeles 90012 (213) 974-1234

City of Los Angeles2 5,0001 3.9 million residents 10,531 Los Angeles Eric Garcetti 4 200 N. Spring St. Mayor Los Angeles 90012 (213) 473-7500

Cal State Northridge 4,526 41,812 students 492 Northridge Erika Beck 5 18111 Nordhoff St. President Northridge 91330 (818) 677-1200

Antelope Valley Union High School District 2,300 23,000 students NA Lancaster David Vierra 6 44811 N. Sierra Highway Superintendent Lancaster 93534 (661) 948-7655

City of Glendale 1,980 203,834 residents 907 Glendale Paula Devine 7 613 E. Broadway Mayor Glendale 91206 (818) 548-4844

Glendale Unified School District 1,923 25,000 students 332 Glendale Vivian Ekchian 8 223 N. Jackson St. Superintendent Glendale 91206 (818) 241-3111

1 Business Journal estimate. submit information or do not break out local employment data. To the best of our knowledge, this 2 Excludes proprietary departments (LADWP, LAWA, Port of L.A.). information is accurate as of press time. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of the list, NA - Not Available omissions and typographical errors sometimes occur. Please send corrections or additions on company letterhead to Note: The information on this list was provided by representatives of the employers themselves. Agencies are ranked by [email protected]. ©2021 San Fernando Valley Business Journal. This list may not be reprinted in whole or in part the current number of full-time Valley-area employees. Several agencies may have qualified for this list, but failed to without prior written permission from the editor. Reprints are available from Wright’s Media (877) 652-5295. Researched by Joshua Niv

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PUBLIC-SECTOR EMPLOYERS

Rank Company Employees People Served Annual Budget Headquarters Top Local Executive • name Valley-area • 2020-2021 • name • address (in millions) • title • phone

William S. Hart Union High School District 1,900 22,000 students $260 Santa Clarita Mike Kuhlman 9 21380 Centre Pointe Parkway Superintendent Santa Clarita 91350 (661) 259-0033

Palmdale School District 1,772 17,119 students 224 Palmdale Raul Maldonado 10 39139 10th St. East Superintendent Palmdale 93550 (661) 947-7191

City of Burbank 1,540 103,969 residents 670 Burbank Bob Frutos 11 275 E. Olive Ave. Mayor Burbank 91502 (818) 238-5850

California Correction Institute Tehachapi 1,506 2,898 inmates NA Tehachapi Brian Cates 12 24900 Highway 202 Warden Tehachapi 93561 (661) 822-4402

Simi Valley Unified School District 1,497 15,624 students 182 Simi Valley Jason Peplinski 13 875 E. Cochran St. Superintendent Simi Valley 93065 (805) 306-4500

Conejo Valley School District 1,482 16,971 students 205 Thousand Oaks Mark McLaughlin 14 1400 E. Janss Road Superintendent Thousand Oaks 91362 (805) 497-9511

Lancaster School District 1,385 14,271 students 168 Lancaster Michele Bowers 15 44711 North Cedar Ave. Superintendent Lancaster 93534 (661) 948-4661

Burbank Unified School District 1,197 13,642 students 154 Burbank Matt Hill 16 1900 W. Olive Ave. Superintendent Burbank 91506 (818) 558-5540

Santa Clarita Community College District 1,192 33,000 students 125 Santa Clarita Dianne Van Hook 17 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road Chancellor Santa Clarita 91355 (661) 259-7800

Glendale Community College 1,074 20,873 students 113 Glendale David Viar 18 1500 N. Verdugo Road Superintendent, President Glendale 91208 (818) 240-1000

Las Virgenes Unified School District 969 10,881 students 123 Calabasas Daniel Stepenosky 19 4111 Las Virgenes Road Superintendent Calabasas 91302 (818) 880-4000

Los Angeles Pierce College 915 26,219 students 77 Los Angeles Ara Aguiar 20 6201 Winnetka Ave. Interim President Woodland Hills 91371 (818) 710-4100

Saugus Union School District 870 9,270 students 82 Santa Clarita Colleen Hawkins 21 24930 Avenue Stanford Superintendent Santa Clarita 91355 (661) 294-5300

City of Santa Clarita 867 221,572 residents 220 Santa Clarita Bill Miranda 22 23920 Valencia Blvd., Suite 300 Mayor Santa Clarita 91355 (661) 259-2489

Antelope Valley Community College 863 15,479 students 275 Lancaster Ed Knudson 23 3041 W. Avenue K Superintendent, President Lancaster 93536 (661) 722-6300

Moorpark College 640 19,750 students 66 Moorpark Julius Sokenu 24 7075 Campus Road President Moorpark 93021 (805) 378-1400

California State University, Channel Islands 558 7,525 students 163 Camarillo Richard Yao 25 One University Drive Interim President Camarillo 93012 (805) 437-8400

information is accurate as of press time. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of the list, NA - Not Available omissions and typographical errors sometimes occur. Please send corrections or additions on company letterhead to Note: The information on this list was provided by representatives of the employers themselves. Agencies are ranked by [email protected]. ©2021 San Fernando Valley Business Journal. This list may not be reprinted in whole or in part the current number of full-time Valley-area employees. Several agencies may have qualified for this list, but failed to without prior written permission from the editor. Reprints are available from Wright’s Media (877) 652-5295. submit information or do not break out local employment data. To the best of our knowledge, this Researched by Joshua Niv

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