WHO: David Gerstenfeld, Acting Director, Oregon Employment Department and Gail Krumenauer, OED state employment economist
WHEN: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at 1 p.m. PT
WHAT: Oregon Employment Department will hold a video conference media briefing to share updates on economic and workforce-related trends, employment services, unemployment claims processing, claimant resources and more on June 16 at 1 p.m. PT.
WHERE: Via Zoom video conference: Members of the media must RSVP for call information by emailing OED_Communications@oregon.gov by 12 p.m. PT on June 16. Video conference information will be provided to all reporters who RSVP.
OTHER: The Oregon Employment Department is updating a claims processing progress data dashboard daily. Visit this link for weekday updates. A recording of the video conference will be emailed to reporters attending the briefing after the briefing concludes.
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Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Contact: (503) 947-1794. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711 Telecommunications Relay Services
Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.9% in May, the same as the revised rate in April. This was the first time Oregon’s rate was below 6% since March 2020 when the state’s rate was 3.6%. Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 5.8% in May from 6.1% in April.
In Oregon, nonfarm payroll employment grew by 6,900 in May, following monthly gains averaging 11,400 in the prior four months. Monthly gains in May were largest in private education (+3,400 jobs); professional and business services (+2,900); construction (+900); and financial activities (+900). Only one major industry shed more than 500 jobs in May: transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-800 jobs).
In May, Oregon’s nonfarm payroll employment totaled 1,864,000, a drop of 109,000 jobs, or 5.5% from the pre-recession peak in February 2020. Oregon’s employment dropped to a low of 1,687,500 by April 2020. Since then, Oregon has recovered 176,500 jobs, or 62% of the jobs lost between February and April 2020.
Leisure and hospitality accounts for the bulk of Oregon’s jobs not recovered since early 2020. It employed 169,600 in May, and added only 1,600 jobs in the most recent two months. The industry is still 46,700 jobs below its peak month of February 2020, so it accounts for 43% of overall nonfarm payroll jobs lost since Oregon’s pre-recession peak. The restaurants, bars, and hotels that make up accommodation and food services have shown flat hiring trends over the most recent three months; the employment level in this component industry has been close to 150,000 in March, April, and May.
Local government is another industry that has a long way to go to get back to normal. Employment averaged 207,400 in the past 12 months, compared with an average of 229,000 during the most recent pre-recession year of 2019. In May, local government employed 207,800. Local government education—including K-12 schools, community colleges, and public universities—accounts for over half of all local government employment.
A return to pre-pandemic employment is closer at hand for several major industries that were less impacted by the COVID recession. Although the following industries still haven’t surpassed their pre-recession peak, each is within 3% of attaining that milestone: trade, transportation, and utilities; financial activities; information; construction; and professional and business services.
Next Press Releases
The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the May county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, June 22, and the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for June on Tuesday, July 13.
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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 unemployment.oregon.gov.
Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Contact: (503) 947-1794. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711 Telecommunications Relay Services.
WHO: David Gerstenfeld, Acting Director, Oregon Employment Department
WHEN: Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 1 p.m. PT
WHAT: Oregon Employment Department Acting Director David Gerstenfeld will hold a video conference media briefing to share updates on economic and workforce-related trends, employment services, unemployment claims processing, claimant resources and more on June 2 at 1 p.m. PT.
WHERE: Via Zoom video conference: Members of the media must RSVP for call information by emailing OED_Communications@oregon.gov by 12 p.m. PT on June 2. Video conference information will be provided to all reporters who RSVP.
OTHER: The Oregon Employment Department is updating a claims processing progress data dashboard daily. Visit this link for weekday updates. A recording of the video conference will be emailed to reporters attending the briefing after the briefing concludes.
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Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Contact: (503) 947-1794. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711 Telecommunications Relay Services.
Mayo 24, 2021 (SALEM, ORE.)— El Departamento de Empleo de Oregon está volviendo a implementar algunos requisitos del seguro de desempleo (UI) que fueron suspendidos o modificados debido a la pandemia de COVID-19. El primer requisito de regreso al trabajo que se restablece es registrarse en el sistema en línea iMatchSkills® de Departamento de Empleo y crear un perfil de solicitante de empleo antes de una fecha límite determinada. Dado que se estima que aproximadamente 220,000 reclamantes deberán registrarse, las fechas límite se escalonarán durante las próximas cinco semanas para que sea más fácil para los reclamantes llamar a su oficina local de WorkSource Oregon si tienen preguntas.
Estos requisitos de regreso al trabajo son solo para personas que reciben UI regular o Compensación por desempleo de emergencia pandémica (PEUC). Los requisitos de PUA se están finalizando y se anunciarán pronto, sin embargo, los solicitantes de PUA pueden registrarse ahora si desean ayuda para encontrar empleo.
“Durante los últimos 14 meses, el Departamento de Empleo ha desempeñado un papel fundamental en el apoyo a los habitantes de Oregón. Dejar en suspenso los requisitos laborales para más de medio millón de personas durante la crisis fue lo correcto, porque estos beneficios proporcionaron una fuerza estabilizadora crítica para las familias y nuestra economía. A medida que la pandemia comienza a desvanecerse y la economía cambia, todavía nos enfocamos en cómo podemos ayudar a impulsar la recuperación económica y ayudar a los habitantes de Oregón a superar los desafíos relacionados con el empleo,” dijo David Gerstenfeld, director interino del Departamento de Empleo de Oregón.
Los avisos de requisitos de búsqueda de trabajo se enviarán por correo de forma continua, con fechas límite distintas para cada grupo de reclamantes. El primero de estos avisos llegará a aproximadamente 35.000 personas. Los reclamantes que reciban cartas deberán completar un proceso de dos pasos antes de la fecha límite indicada en sus avisos para continuar recibiendo los beneficios:
Si los reclamantes no completan ambos pasos antes de la fecha límite, se les negarán los beneficios.
Se requerirá que los reclamantes comiencen a reportar sus actividades de búsqueda de trabajo en su reclamo semanal para continuar recibiendo beneficios. La fecha límite para este requisito es el 31 de julio para todos los solicitantes de UI regulares. En el futuro, deben informar las actividades de búsqueda de trabajo para cualquier semana en la que deseen recibir beneficios.
A algunas personas también se les enviará una carta informándoles que deben completar una conversación de bienvenida con el personal de WorkSource Oregon, de manera virtual o en persona. Si son seleccionados para una conversación de bienvenida y NO completan las tareas antes de la fecha límite asignada, se les negarán sus beneficios.
Cualquiera que reinicie su reclamo de desempleo tendrá que completar el proceso de registro de iMatchSkills®, al igual que cualquier persona que presente un nuevo reclamo de beneficios. Si una persona no presenta actualmente reclamaciones de desempleo semanales, este requisito no se aplica a ella.
Para ayudar a las personas a completar con éxito este proceso, hay una guía step-by-step guide disponible en línea en unemployment.oregon.gov/returntowork. Los reclamantes que necesiten ayuda con iMatchSkills® pueden llamar a su oficina local de WorkSource Oregon para obtener ayuda adicional oa la Línea de acceso lingüístico de WorkSource Oregon al 833-685-0845 si necesitan ayuda en un idioma que no sea inglés.
WorkSource Oregon ha estado conectando a los habitantes de Oregon con trabajos durante más de 17 años y ofrece citas y servicios virtuales, ya que las oficinas permanecen cerradas para personas sin cita previa. Las oficinas reabrirán el 6 de julio. Ya sea que presenten reclamaciones o no, si las personas están buscando oportunidades de trabajo o capacitación, pueden comunicarse con WorkSource Oregon y registrarse en iMatchSkills®.
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Programa de igualdad de oportunidades - ayudas y servicios auxiliares disponibles a pedido para personas con discapacidades. Contacto: (503) 947-1794. Para las personas sordas o con problemas de audición, llame al 711 Telecommunications Relay Services.
May 24, 2021 (SALEM, ORE.)— The Oregon Employment Department is putting back in place some unemployment insurance (UI) requirements that were suspended or changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first return to work requirement being restored is to register in the Department’s iMatchSkills® online system and create a Job Seeker profile before a certain deadline. Since it is estimated that approximately 220,000 claimants will need to register, deadlines will be staggered over the next five weeks to make it easier for claimants to call their local WorkSource Oregon office with questions.
These return to work requirements are only for people receiving Regular UI or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC). PUA requirements are being finalized and will be announced soon, however, PUA claimants are welcome to register now if they would like help finding employment.
“Over the last 14 months, the Employment Department has played a critical role in supporting Oregonians. Putting work requirements on hold for more than a half million people during the crisis was the right thing to do, because these benefits provided a critical stabilizing force for families—and our economy. As the pandemic begins to fade and the economy changes, we are still focusing on how we can help fuel economic recovery, and help Oregonians overcome challenges related to employment,” said David Gerstenfeld, acting director of the Oregon Employment Department.
Work search requirement notices will be mailed on a rolling basis, with distinct deadlines for each group of claimants. The first of these notices will go to approximately 35,000 people. Claimants receiving letters will need to complete a two-step process by the deadline listed in their notices to continue receiving benefits:
If claimants do not complete both steps by their deadline, their benefits will be denied.
Claimants will be required to begin reporting their work-seeking activities on their weekly claim to continue receiving benefits. The deadline for this requirement is July 31 for all regular UI claimants. Going forward, they must report work-seeking activities for any week they want to receive benefits.
Some people will also be mailed a letter informing them they must complete a Welcome Conversation with WorkSource Oregon staff, virtually or in-person. If they are selected for a Welcome Conversation and do NOT complete the tasks by the assigned deadline, their benefits will be denied.
Anyone who restarts their unemployment claim will have to complete the iMatchSkills® registration process, as will anyone filing a new claim for benefits. If a person is not currently filing weekly unemployment claims, this requirement does not apply to them.
To help people successfully complete this process, a step-by-step guide is available online at unemployment.oregon.gov/ReturnToWork. Claimants who need assistance with iMatchSkills® can call their local WorkSource Oregon office for additional help or the WorkSource Oregon Language Access Line at 833-685-0845 if they need help in a language other than English.
WorkSource Oregon has been connecting Oregonians to jobs for more than 17 years and is offering virtual appointments and services, as the offices remain closed to walk-ins. Offices will reopen July 6. Whether filing claims or not, if people are looking for work or training opportunities, they can reach out to WorkSource Oregon and register in iMatchSkills®.
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Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Contact: (503) 947-1794. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711 Telecommunications Relay Services.