FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 22, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT: Gail Krumenauer
State Employment Economist
(971) 301-3771
May 2022 Employment and Unemployment in Oregon’s Counties
In May, unemployment rates declined in 33 of Oregon’s 36 counties. Unemployment rates in three counties did not decline, but held steady over the month. Thirteen counties had unemployment rates at or below the statewide and nationwide rate of 3.6% in May.
Klamath County had Oregon’s highest seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (5.3%) in May. Other counties with relatively high unemployment rates were Grant (5.2%), Curry (4.9%), and Lincoln (4.9%). Benton, Hood River, and Wheeler counties registered the lowest unemployment rates in May, at 2.9% each. Other counties with some of the lowest unemployment rates in May included Washington (3.0%), Sherman (3.1%), and Gilliam (3.2%).
Between May 2021 and May 2022, total nonfarm employment rose in each of the six broad regions across Oregon. The Willamette Valley region experienced the fastest job growth over the year at 4.1%. Employment also grew at a relatively fast pace in the five Portland-metro counties (3.7%) and Central Oregon region (3.3%). Growth occurred at a slower pace along the Coast (1.3%), in Eastern Oregon (0.8%), and in Southern Oregon (0.7%).
Next News Releases
The Oregon Employment Department will release statewide unemployment rate and industry employment data for June 2022 on Wednesday, July 20, 2022. The June 2022 county and metropolitan area unemployment rates will be released on Tuesday, July 26, 2022.
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The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. Everyone has a right to use OED programs and services. OED provides free help. Some examples are sign language and spoken language interpreters, written materials in other languages, braille, large print, audio and other formats. If you need help, please call 971-673-6400. TTY users call 711. You can also ask for help at OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov.
FOR IMMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 15, 2022
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Anna Johnson, Senior Economic Analyst
(503) 991-2110
David Cooke, Economist
(971) 375-5288
Video and Audio available at 10a.m.
Oregon Adds 6,200 Jobs in May
In Oregon, nonfarm payroll employment grew by 6,200 in May, following gains averaging 6,000 jobs in the prior six months. Monthly gains in May were largest in leisure and hospitality (+3,200 jobs); transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+1,300); wholesale trade (+900); and manufacturing (+800). Construction (-1,100 jobs) was the only major industry that shed a substantial number of jobs.
Over the past 12 months, nonfarm payrolls rose by 82,700 jobs, or 4.4%. Leisure and hospitality accounted for more than a third of these gains, growing by 29,400 jobs, or 17.2%. Private educational services grew by 3,000 jobs, or 9.3%, which was the second fastest growth rate of the major industries. Several industries grew by close to 5% since May 2021, including construction; wholesale trade; professional and business services; and manufacturing. None of the major industries declined a substantial amount over the past 12 months.
Durable goods manufacturing growth accelerated, as the industry added 8,800 jobs, or 6.9%, during the past 12 months. All of its component industries added jobs in that time. Computer and electronic products (+4,200 jobs, or 11.2%) added the bulk of jobs in durable goods manufacturing. Primary metals manufacturing (+800 job, or 12.3%) grew at the fastest rate, while three other component industries each added close to 1,100 jobs—machinery, fabricated metals, and wood products.
Oregon’s unemployment rate edged down to 3.6% in May, from 3.7% in April, reaching its lowest level in more than two years. The rate is close to Oregon’s record low of 3.4%, which occurred in each of the four months of November 2019 through February 2020. The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.6% in both April and May 2022.
Oregon’s rising labor force participation rate is another sign that more people are getting back to work. In May, the participation rate rose to 63.5%, its highest reading in 10 years. This measure of how many people are working or looking for work has risen rapidly since reaching a low of 59.2% in April 2020 during the worst of the COVID recession. Oregon’s labor force participation rate of 63.5% in May was well above the comparable U.S. figure of 62.3%.
Next Press Releases
The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the May county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Wednesday, June 22, and the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for June on Wednesday, July 20.
Notes:
All numbers in the above narrative are seasonally adjusted except for the component industries within durable goods manufacturing.
The Oregon Employment Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) work cooperatively to develop and publish monthly Oregon payroll employment and labor force data. The estimates of monthly job gains and losses are based on a survey of businesses. The estimates of unemployment are based on a survey of households and other sources.
The Oregon Employment Department publishes payroll employment estimates that are revised quarterly by using employment counts from employer unemployment insurance tax records. All department publications use this Official Oregon Series data unless noted otherwise. This month’s release incorporates the October, November and December 2021 tax records data. The department continues to make the original nonfarm payroll employment series available; these data are produced by the BLS.
The PDF version of the news release can be found at QualityInfo.org/press-release. To obtain the data in other formats such as in Excel, visit QualityInfo.org, then within the top banner, select Economic Data, then choose LAUS or CES. To request the press release as a Word document, contact the person shown at the top of this press release.
To file a claim for unemployment benefits or get more information about unemployment programs, visit Oregon.gov/employ.
The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. Everyone has a right to use OED programs and services. OED provides free help. Some examples are: Sign language and spoken language interpreters, written materials in other languages, braille, large print, audio and other formats. If you need help, please call 971-673-6400. TTY users call 711. You can also ask for help at OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2022
Media Contact:
OED_Communications@oregon.gov
***MEDIA ADVISORY***
Oregon Employment Department to Host
Media Briefing June 15, 1 p.m.
WHO: David Gerstenfeld, Acting Director, and Robert Uhlenkott, Director of Research
WHEN: Wednesday, 1 p.m., June 15, 2022
WHAT: The Oregon Employment Department is hosting a video-conference media briefing to share updates on economic and workforce-related trends, the reduction in the department’s federal funding, the latest “Navigator” grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, and more.
WHERE: Via Zoom video conference: Members of the media must RSVP by emailing OED_Communications@oregon.gov by noon on Wednesday, June 15. We will provide video conference log in information to all reporters who RSVP. RSVPs must indicate if the reporter wants to ask a question of the presenters.
OTHER: The Oregon Employment Department updates claims processing progress data each week. Visit this link for weekly updates. After the briefing concludes, we will email a recording of the video conference to reporters who RSVP’d.
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The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. Everyone has a right to use OED programs and services. OED provides free help. Some examples are sign language and spoken language interpreters, written materials in other languages, braille, large print, audio and other formats. If you need help, please call 971-673-6400. TTY users call 711. You can also ask for help at OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 08, 2022
Media Contact:
Rebeka Gipson-King
OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov
Employment Department announces new minimum and maximum weekly benefit amounts
June 8, 2022 (Salem, OR) — Today, the Oregon Employment Department announced the new annual minimum and maximum weekly benefit amounts (WBAs) for regular unemployment insurance (UI). For new regular UI claims filed in Oregon on or after July 3, 2022, the minimum and maximum WBAs will increase by approximately 7%.
This increase will be a significant income boost for new claimants who receive the minimum or maximum WBA. During the most recent quarter, 15% of regular UI recipients received the minimum WBA, and 20% received the maximum WBA.
The 7% increase is the result of growth in Oregon’s average weekly wage during 2021. Starting July 3, 2022, the minimum WBA for new regular UI claims will increase by $12, from $171 to $183 per week. The maximum WBA for new regular UI claims will increase by $50, from $733 to $783 per week. Individuals who file new regular UI claims prior to July 3, 2022, will continue receiving the same WBA they had been receiving.
Under Oregon law (ORS 657.150(4)), the Oregon Employment Department recalculates the minimum and maximum WBAs for regular UI benefits annually. The department sets amounts as percentages of the average weekly wage earned by Oregonians. The minimum WBA is 15% of the average weekly wage, and the maximum WBA is 64%. Both dollar amounts are rounded down to the nearest dollar, as required by law.
For more information, visit OED’s regular UI benefits calculator.
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The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. Everyone has a right to use OED programs and services. OED provides free help. Some examples are sign language and spoken language interpreters, written materials in other languages, braille, large print, audio and other formats. If you need help, please call 971-673-6400. TTY users call 711. You can also ask for help at OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov.