WASHINGTON Credit unions added more than 7,300 employees last year, both full-time and part-time, as hiring picked up to pre-financial crisis levels.
“This is further evidence that credit unions are putting more space between them and the financial crisis of 2008-2009,” said Bill Hampel, chief economist for CUNA.
The 2.8% increase in the credit union workforce to 265,201 was the highest growth rate since 2007’s 3.4%. In comparison, the growth rate was just 0.6% in 2011, and negative for both 2009 and 2010.
Credit union added 6,918 full-time employees last year, a 3.1% increase, for a total of 233,596, according to CUNA.
They added 411 part-timers, an increase of 1.3%, for a total of 31,605 part-time employees.
Hampel said despite the added workers, credit unions continued to keep their expense ratios down, indicating that they had cut even deeper in other areas during the financial crisis.
