June 26, 2024 3:30 a,m.

Douglas County’s payroll employment was unchanged in May after a loss of 190 in April and a gain of 100 in March.

A State of Oregon Employment Department release said in the not seasonally adjusted private sector industries in May, there were increases of 80 in leisure and hospitality, 60 in professional and business services, and 30 each in construction and retail trade. There was a loss of 50 in manufacturing partly due to the published closure of the C&D Lumber mill in Riddle.

Workforce Analyst Henry Fields said the government category gained 80 jobs in May, from gains of 50 in federal government and 30 in local government.

OED said when comparing May 2024 with May 2023, total nonfarm employment decreased 170 jobs or 0.4 percent. Private sector over-the-year gains of 80 were seen in construction, of 60 in private education and health services, and of 40 in the other services category. There were relatively large losses of 160 in professional and business services, of 120 in manufacturing, of 60 in retail trade and of 50 in wholesale trade.

Fields said the government category gained 160 jobs over the year from gains of 90 in local government, of 50 in federal government and of 20 in state government.

Douglas County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 5.1 percent in May, compared with a revised 5 percent in June. The rate is up from 4.5 percent in May 2023. Douglas County’s record low unemployment rate was set in October 2019 at 4.3 percent. The Oregon seasonally adjusted May rate was 4.2 percent while the U.S. rate was 4.0 percent.