March 29, 2023 3:40 a.m.

Douglas County payroll employment decreased a seasonally adjusted 160 jobs in February after a loss of 100 in January and a gain of 160 in December.

A release from the State of Oregon Employment Department said the county has gained back 80 percent of the jobs lost in March and April 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis.

Regional Economist Brian Rooney said in the not seasonally adjusted private-sector industries in February, there were gains of 50 in leisure and hospitality and 20 in construction. There were losses of 40 in professional and business services, 30 in retail trade and 20 in transportation, warehousing and utilities.

The release said government gained 80 jobs from gains of 50 in local government and 30 in federal government.

OED said when comparing February 2023 with February 2022, total nonfarm employment increased by 40 jobs or .1 percent. Private-sector over-the-year gains of 220 were seen in private education and health services, and 30 in wholesale trade. There were relatively large losses in professional and business services of 290, with losses of 100 in hospitality and 40 in financial activities.

Rooney said government gained 210 jobs over the year from a gain of 230 in local government that was countered by a loss of 20 in federal government.

Douglas County’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 5.9 percent in February compared with a revised 5.8 percent in January. The rate is up from 4.9 percent in February 2022. Douglas County’s record low unemployment rate was set in October 2019 and again in June 2022 at 4.4 percent.

The Oregon seasonally adjusted February rate was 4.7 percent while the U.S. rate was 3.6 percent.