November 23, 2022 3:50 a.m.

Douglas County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 4.9 percent in October, compared with a revised 4.7 percent in September.

A release from the State of Oregon Employment Department said the county’s record low unemployment rate was set in November 2019 at 4.4 percent.  The rate is down from 5.1 percent in October 2021.

Regional Economist Brian Rooney said the county’s payroll employment decreased a seasonally adjusted 30 jobs in October after gains of 60 in September and 100 jobs in August. Rooney said Douglas County has gained back 79 percent of the jobs lost in March and April 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis.

The OED release said in the not seasonally adjusted private-sector industries in October, there was a relatively large gain in retail trade of 40 jobs. There were seasonal losses in leisure and hospitality of 130 jobs, and 30  in construction. There were additional losses of 80 jobs in professional and business services and of 30 in manufacturing.

Government gained 140 jobs from a seasonal gain of 220 in local government education that was countered by losses of 70 in federal and 10 in state government.

OED said when comparing October 2022 with October 2021, total nonfarm employment increased by 200 jobs or .5 percent. Large over-the-year gains were seen in education and health services with 260 new jobs. Leisure and hospitality gained 70 while transportation, warehousing and utilities added 60 jobs. There were relatively large losses in manufacturing which shed 120 jobs, the federal government where 90 jobs were lost and retail trade, which lost 50 jobs.

The Oregon seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for October was 4.1 percent while the U.S. rate was 3.7 percent.