June 25, 3:50 a.m. 

The rate of unemployment in Douglas County went down in May, but is still high.

A release from the Oregon Employment Department said May seasonally adjusted unemployment rates are not available due to the processing delays caused by large changes in unemployment in recent months. Not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates are used in the latest update.

Regional Economist Brian Rooney said employment increased in May due to the reopening process.

Douglas County’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from a near record high rate for April of 16.5 percent to 14.7 percent in May. The record May rate was 16.2 percent in 2009. The Oregon not seasonally adjusted May rate was 13.8 percent while the U.S. rate was 13.0 percent.

Rooney said Douglas County’s payroll employers added 660 jobs in May following a loss of 4,360 in April. The largest private-sector gains in the county were in leisure and hospitality which gained 460 jobs. The “other services” category added 250 jobs while construction gained 110 jobs. The number of Manufacturing jobs in the county fell by 130 jobs.

Government lost 60 jobs while local education lost 110. The tribal category fell by 40 jobs. Those losses were countered by a gain of 60 jobs in the federal government, 20 in the noneducation local government category, and 10 in state government.