November 13, 2019 10:25 a.m. 
Oregon’s unemployment rate remained at 4.1 percent in October.
New data from the Oregon Employment Department said the rate, which is seasonally adjusted, is the same as it was in September. The rate has been between 4.0 percent and 4.4 percent for an unprecedented 36 consecutive months dating back to November of 2016.
Economist David Cooke said other measures of Oregon’s labor force also indicated a tight labor market in recent months. He said fewer individuals are remaining unemployed for extended periods. The number of individuals unemployed for 52 weeks or more dropped to 6,000 in October, which was the lowest level in a dozen years, and well below the peak of 70,000 in 2010.
Cooke said the number of unemployed who lost their job has remained close to 32,000 for the past three years, which was less than one-quarter of those unemployed due to a job loss in 2009. He said the number of people who were unemployed due to leaving their job voluntarily has recently risen above 16,000, up from an average of 12,000 during the prior six calendar years. Cooke said that increase could indicate increasing confidence among workers of being able to easily find another job if they quit their current job.
Oregon’s nonfarm payroll employment rose by 4,400 jobs in October, following an upwardly revised gain of 3,300 jobs in September. Gains in October were concentrated in leisure and hospitality, government, and wholesale trade. The gains were partially offset by job losses in construction health care and social assistance, and retail trade.
Cooke said Oregon’s payroll employment grew by 27,800 jobs or 1.4 percent over the past 12 months.
The U.S. unemployment rate sat 3.6 percent in October, up slightly from 3.5 percent in September.