January 21, 2021 3:20 a.m.

Oregon’s unemployment rate has gone up slightly.

A release from the Oregon Employment Department said the rate rose to 6.4 percent in December, up from 6.0 percent in November.

State Employment Economist Gail Krumenauer said Oregon’s over-the-month percent job loss was greater than nationally. In December the state lost 1.4 percent of nonfarm payroll employment while the U.S. shed 0.1 percent. Oregon’s total nonfarm payroll employment dropped by 25,000 jobs in December, following a revised gain of 2,100 jobs in November. The drop followed seven consecutive months of gains. Total nonfarm payroll employment stood at 1,783,300 in December, which was an over-the-year decline from December 2019 of 173,000 jobs or 8.9 percent.

Krumenauer said “December’s job losses reflect the devastation COVID-19 continues to inflict on the lives and livelihoods of Oregonians”. Ten months into the pandemic, Oregon has regained just 37 percent of the jobs lost in the recession.

The release said December job losses in Oregon were greatest in leisure and hospitality which cut 28,600 jobs. Several other industries also cut at least 800 jobs last month including private educational services which lost 1,700 jobs. Government cut 1,300 jobs while wholesale trade lost 1,100 jobs. Manufacturing cut 900 jobs while construction lost 800 jobs. In contrast, four major industries each added thousands of jobs. Retail trade, the transportation, warehousing and utilities category, and health care and social assistance each gained 2,200 jobs. Professional and business services added 2,100 jobs.

Within leisure and hospitality, full-service restaurants cut 17,600 jobs in December, which was the largest drop of its component industries. Those restaurants, where in-person dining has been severely reduced due to the pandemic, have cut far more jobs than limited-service eating places which shed 2,000 jobs in December.

The release said on the plus side, reflecting the rapid increase in online shopping, the industries that employ fulfillment center warehouse workers and package delivery drivers, boosted December employment in industries within transportation, warehousing and utilities. In particular, couriers and messengers added 3,600 jobs in December.

The U.S. unemployment rate remained at 6.7 percent in both November and December.