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Beyond the Holiday: Building Fair Work and Opportunity in San Diego

August 29, 2025

San Diego's economy, the third largest in California with approximately 390,000 small businesses employing nearly 59% of the region, faces significant disparities in business ownership and wages. Only 1. 2% of San Diego small businesses are Black or African American-owned, and small businesses generally pay 38% less than larger companies with over 100 employees.

Who is affected

  • San Diego's approximately 390,000 small businesses
  • Black and African American business owners (representing only 1.2% of San Diego small businesses)
  • Workers in small businesses receiving lower wages (38% less than at larger companies)
  • People of color, particularly Black and Latino workers who are overrepresented in lower-wage jobs
  • Microbusiness owners with fewer than four employees
  • Job seekers and employers in California

What action is being taken

  • The California Employment Development Department (EDD) is providing free resources to help job seekers find employment
  • EDD is supporting businesses in hiring qualified employees
  • EDD is delivering benefits to workers when needed
  • EDD is operating the CalJOBS job search engine
  • EDD is offering job fairs, résumé workshops, and career coaching at 181 America's Job Center of California locations
  • EDD is providing online unemployment benefits management through myEDD accounts

Why it matters

  • Small businesses account for nearly 59% of regional employment in San Diego
  • Significant wage disparities exist between small and large businesses (38% difference)
  • Lower-wage jobs are disproportionately held by people of color
  • Stark industry representation disparities exist (over half of healthcare support roles are filled by Black and Latino workers earning under $20/hour, while fewer than 20% work in computer/mathematics roles earning over $50/hour)
  • These disparities stem from limited access to resources, support, and opportunity
  • EDD's resources can help address these disparities and support both workers and businesses

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint