January 24, 2023 10:40 a.m. 

Douglas County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 5.6 percent in December compared with a revised 5.3 percent in November.

A release from the State of Oregon Employment Department said Douglas County’s record low unemployment rate was set in January 2019 at 4.4 percent. The rate is up from December 2021. The Oregon seasonally adjusted December rate was 4.5 percent while the U.S. rate was 3.5 percent.

Regional Economist Brian Rooney said Douglas County payroll employment increased a seasonally adjusted 190 jobs in December after a gain of 120 in November and a loss of 50 jobs in October. Rooney said the county has gained back 86 percent of the jobs lost in March and April 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis.

In the not seasonally adjusted private-sector industries in December, there was a seasonal gain of 30 jobs in retail trade. There were additional gains of 70 jobs in leisure and hospitality, 50 in manufacturing, and 30 in professional and business services. There were seasonal losses of 30 jobs in construction and 20 in leisure and hospitality.

OED said government dropped 130 jobs from losses of 70 in local government and 60 in federal government.

When comparing December 2022 with December 2021, total nonfarm employment increased by 400 jobs or 1 percent. Large private-sector over-the-year gains were seen in education and health of 180 jobs, along with 70 in leisure and hospitality and 50 in retail trade. There were relatively large losses of 110 in professional and business services and 60 in wood product manufacturing.

Government gained 70 jobs over the year from gains of 100 in local government and 10 in state government that were countered by a loss of 40 in federal government.