December 30, 2021 3:30 a.m.

In the KQEN Business Spotlight:

Douglas County employers added jobs in November.

A release from the State of Oregon Employment Department said payroll employment increased a seasonally adjusted 120 jobs in November after losses of 110 in October and 30 in September. OED said the county has gained back 69 percent of the jobs lost in March and April of 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis.

Regional Economist Brian Rooney said in the not seasonally adjusted private-sector industries last month, there were seasonal gains in transportation, warehousing and utilities of 100 jobs, while retail trade added 50 positions as did professional and business services. There were seasonal losses of 70 jobs in leisure and hospitality, 30 positions in manufacturing and 20 jobs in construction.

Rooney said the government category lost 10 jobs from a loss of 50 in the federal government and 10 jobs in state government that were countered by gains in local education of 40 jobs and an increase in noneducation local government of 10 jobs.

OED said when comparing November 2021 with November of 2020, total nonfarm employment is up 130 jobs or .3 percent. Large over-the-year gains were seen in leisure and hospitality of 140 jobs, construction with 90 positions, and manufacturing and other services which each added 70 jobs. There were losses of 190 positions in business and professional services, 90 jobs in financial activities, and 30 jobs in mining and logging.

Rooney said Douglas County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 5.1 percent in November, compared with a revised 5.3 percent in October. The rate is down from 6.5 percent in November of 2020. Oregon’s seasonally adjusted November rate was 4.2 percent, the same as the U.S. rate.