Oregon's Employment Situation: December 2009
Oregon's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 11.0 percent in December from the revised November figure of 10.7 percent. The rate has been close to 11 percent for the last four months of 2009. Oregon's unemployment rate was 8.3 percent in December 2008.

In December, 209,576 Oregonians were unemployed. In December 2008, 173,121 Oregonians were unemployed.

The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 10.0 percent in both November and December. The U.S. rate has been close to 10 percent for the last four months of 2009.

In December, Oregon's seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment added 2,900 jobs, following a loss of 2,000 (as revised) in November. December was the first month of substantial job gains since July 2008 when 5,400 were added.

Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey Data)
In December, three major industries posted substantial seasonally adjusted job gains: educational and health services (+2,900 jobs), manufacturing (+1,800), and trade, transportation, and utilities (+1,400). Three of the other major industries posted substantial seasonally adjusted job losses: construction (-1,100 jobs), mining and logging (-700), and leisure and hospitality ( 1,000).

Educational and health services added 2,200 jobs in December during a month when the sector would normally shed 700 jobs due to seasonal factors. Much of the gain came in social assistance, which added 1,400 jobs and is up 2,500 since December 2008. Many social assistance firms are seeing heavy demand for their services as the economic downturn has forced people out of work and therefore in need of their services.

Manufacturing cut only 200 jobs in December during a month where it would typically lose 2,000 due to seasonal factors. Typical seasonal declines of 1,300 jobs were felt in fruit and vegetable preserving, which employed 9,900, about the same as in the prior December. Several of the durable goods manufacturing components added close to 400 jobs apiece: fabricated metal products manufacturing, machinery manufacturing, and computer and electronic product manufacturing. At the national level, gains in durable goods orders may be spurring increasing labor demand for these firms in Oregon.

Trade, transportation, and utilities added 2,200 jobs in December, which was well above the typical 800- job gain due to seasonality. Wholesale trade added 300 jobs, retail trade added 1,100, while transportation, warehousing, and utilities added 800.

On a seasonally adjusted basis trade, transportation, and utilities gradually has trended upward since September.

Construction employment dropped again in December. The loss of 3,500 jobs was 1,100 more than the typical decline for the time of year. On the plus side, the November reading was revised upward substantially to now show an employment change of only 400 below the normal November seasonal movement.

Construction employment has been on a declining seasonally adjusted trend during 2009. Building permits throughout the state remain at depressed levels following the home-building boom that peaked more than two years ago.

Mining and logging cut 1,300 jobs in December, which was more than the typical loss of 600 for the month. This industry has declined sharply over the past year, following a steady employment pattern during 2001 through 2006.

Leisure and hospitality shed 1,000 more jobs than normal in December. Accommodation cut 1,000 jobs, while food services and drinking places cut an additional 1,000 for the month. Leisure and hospitality has been on a generally declining employment trend for more than a year.

The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the December county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Monday, January 25th and the statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for January on Tuesday, March 2nd.

For the complete version of the news release, including tables and graphs, visit: www.QualityInfo.org/pressrelease.

For help finding jobs and training resources, visit one of the state's WorkSource Oregon Centers or go to: www.WorkSourceOregon.org.

Equal Opportunity program has auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities.