January 24, 2024 3:30 a.m.

Douglas County payroll employment increased a seasonally adjusted 170 jobs in December after a gain of 50 in November and a decrease of 250 in October.

A State of Oregon Employment Department release said Douglas County has gained back 92 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 December, there was a seasonal gain of 40 in retail trade. There were additional gains of 80 in private education and health services, of 30 in manufacturing and of 20 in hospitality. Rooney said there was a relatively large loss in professional and business services of 60.

OED said government dropped 60 jobs in December, from losses of 30 in local education, and 10 each in federal government, state government and noneducation local government.

Rooney said when comparing December 2023 with December 2022, total nonfarm employment increased 320 jobs or 0.8 percent. Private sector over the season gains of 340 were seen in private education and health services, 100 in retail trade, 70 in financial activities, and 40 each in information and the other services category. There were relatively large losses of 140 in professional and business services, 80 in manufacturing, 60 in mining and logging, and of 50 in both wholesale trade and hospitality.

The release said government gained 140 jobs over the year from gains of 130 in local government and 40 in federal government that were countered by a loss of 30 in state government.

Douglas County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.5 percent in December compared with a revised rate of 4.5 percent in November. The rate is down from 6.0 percent in December 2022. Douglas County’s record low unemployment rate was set in January 2019 at 4.3 percent. The Oregon seasonally adjusted rate was 3.7 percent which was the same as the U.S. rate.