August 27, 2021 3:45 a.m.

Douglas County’s payroll employers added a seasonally adjusted 420 jobs in July after a loss of 200 in June and a loss of 30 in April.

Information from the State of Oregon Employment Department said the county has gained back 72 percent of the jobs lost in March and April of 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis.

Regional Economist Brian Rooney said in the not seasonally adjusted private-sector industries in July, there were gains in leisure and hospitality, which added 90 jobs. Professional and business services gained 70 jobs, while construction added 50 jobs, as did education and health services. There was a loss of 40 jobs in transportation, warehousing and utilities.

Rooney said government dropped 590 jobs from a seasonal loss of 660 in local government. It was countered by a gain of 30 in state government, and 20 each in Indian tribal and noneducation local government.

Rooney said when comparing July 2021 with July 2020, total nonfarm employment is up 940 jobs or 2.5 percent. Large over the year gains were seen in local government where 330 jobs were added. Other gains went up in manufacturing which added 170 jobs, private education and services gained 150 jobs, and construction added 140 jobs. There were losses in financial services and business services of 80 and 50 respectively.

Rooney said Douglas County’s seasonally adjusted employment rate dropped to 6.1 percent in July compared with a revised 6.3 percent in June. The rate is down from 8.8 percent in July 2020. The Oregon seasonally adjusted July rate was 5.2 percent while the U.S. rate was 5.4 percent in July.