October 16, 2019 3:20 a.m.
The Oregon unemployment rate remains essentially unchanged.
New data from the Oregon Employment Department said the rate was 4.1 percent in September, which is up slightly from 4.0 percent in August. Oregon’s unemployment rate has been between 4.0 percent and 4.4 percent for 35 consecutive months, dating back to November of 2016.
In September, Oregon’s total nonfarm payroll employment added 200 jobs, following a loss of 900 jobs in August. Economist David Cooke said job gains have cooled slightly, averaging only 100 per month over the past five months. Cooke said the flat economic trend is in contrast to gains that averaged 3,000 jobs per month in all of calendar year 2018, and 4,100 jobs per month during the rapid and consistent growth Oregon experienced during the five-year period.
Cooke said during September some industries expanded while others contracted. Monthly gains were the strongest in health care and social assistance which both added 2,300 jobs. Wholesale trade gained 1,000 jobs while manufacturing added 400. Those gains were offset by cutbacks in government jobs where 2,100 jobs were lost, financial activities and business services with 500 jobs lost and retail trade which lost 400 jobs.
The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 3.5 percent in September.