KGW.com says Oregon's unemployment numbers don't tell the full story

KGW.com

Posted on June 14, 2011 at 11:34 AM

Updated Wednesday, Jun 15 at 10:42 AM 

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon's unemployment rate continues to fall, but that figure masks a slowdown in job creation that's consistent with the softening of the national economy.

The state Employment Department said Tuesday that, on balance, Oregon has added only a few hundred jobs since March. 

That follows a stretch from October through February when Oregon gained nearly 6,000 jobs a month.

The unemployment rate is based on a survey of households. State officials say it can take time for the impact of hiring and layoff decisions to show up in the survey results.

As of May, the unemployment rate stood at 9.3 percent, just two-tenths of a percentage point above the national average. During the recession, Oregon's rate was second highest in the nation. In April it was tied for 11th highest.

Portland unemployment dips to 8.9%

Portland Business Journal - by Suzanne Stevens, Web editor

Date: Wednesday, May 25, 2011, 7:33am PDT

 

The Portland metro area added 1,600 jobs in April, which helped bring the unemployment rate down to 8.9 percent. 

 

Portland's jobless rate was 9.3 percent in March and 10.7 percent a year ago, according to data from the Oregon Employment Department. The national average is 9 percent, and Oregon's unemployment rate in March stood at 10.2 percent.

The biggest gains were seen in construction, which added 1,000 jobs in April, and manufacturing, which gained 400 jobs.

While unemployment remained high in some of Oregon's rural counties — Crook County has the highest rate at 15.3 percent — all but three Oregon counties reported a decline in jobless rates.

@pdxbizjournal | sstevens@bizjournals.com | 502-219-3480

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