September 23, 2021 3:30 a.m.

Douglas County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has fallen slightly though employers dropped a seasonally adjusted 350 jobs in August.

Data from the Oregon Employment Department said that follows a gain of 380 jobs in July and a loss of 200 in June. Regional Economist Brian Rooney said the county has gained back 59 percent of the jobs lost in March and April of 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rooney said government gained 30 jobs from a seasonal gain of 50 in local government that was countered by a loss of 20 in the federal government category.

OED said when comparing August of this year, with August of 2020, total nonfarm employment is up 220 jobs or .6 percent. Large over-the-year gains were seen in local government at 220 jobs, construction with 150 jobs, manufacturing with 110 jobs, the transportation, warehousing, and utilities category, also with 110 jobs, and private education and health services with 40 jobs. There was a loss in professional and business services, which lost 150 jobs. Financial activities lost 90 jobs, leisure and hospitality dropped by 70 jobs, and retail trade lost 40 jobs.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.9 percent in August compared with a rate of 6.1 percent in July. The rate is down from 7.2 percent in August of 2020. The Oregon seasonally adjusted rate for August was 4.9 percent while the national rate was 5.2 percent for that month.