October 27, 2021 10:00 a.m. 

Douglas County’s payroll employers added a seasonally adjusted 120 jobs in September after a loss of 310 in August and a gain of 380 in July.

Regional Economist Brian Rooney with the State of Oregon Employment Department said the county has gained 62 percent of the jobs lost in March and April of 2020, during the onset of the COVID-19 crisis.

Rooney said in the not seasonally adjusted private-sector industries in September, there was a gain of 20 jobs in transportation, warehousing and utilities. There was a significant loss in leisure and hospitality, where 90 jobs were cut. Rooney said there were smaller losses of 20 each in manufacturing, professional and business services, and education and health services.

The Employment Department release said government gained 420 jobs from a seasonal gain of 510 in local government education that was countered by losses of 40 in noneducation local government, 30 in federal government and 20 in state government.

Rooney said when comparing September 2021 with September of 2020, total nonfarm employment is up by 260 jobs or .7 percent. Large over-the-year gains were seen in local government with 210 jobs added, in construction with new 170 jobs, in transportation, warehousing and utilities which went up by 110 jobs, and manufacturing where 70 jobs were added. There were losses of 130 in professional and business services, 80 in federal government, and 70 in financial activities.

Douglas County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 5.6 percent in September compared with a revised 5.9 percent in August. The rate is down from 7.5 percent in September 2020. The Oregon seasonally adjusted September rate was 4.7 percent while the U.S. rate was 4.8 percent.