January 26, 2022 10:50 a.m. 

Douglas County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 4.9 percent in December, compared with a revised 5.1 percent in November.

Regional Economist Brian Rooney of the State of Oregon Employment Department said this was the eighth monthly decline of the rate going back to March of 2021. Rooney said the rate is down from 6.6 percent in December of 2020. The Oregon seasonally adjusted December rate was 4.1 percent while the U.S. rate was 3.9 percent last month.

OED said Douglas County payroll employment increased a seasonally adjusted 70 jobs in December after a gain of 110 in November and a loss of 110 in October. Douglas County has gained back 71 percent of the jobs lost in March and April 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis.

The release said in the not seasonally adjusted private-sector industries in December, there was a seasonal gain in transportation, warehousing and utilities of 30 jobs. There were additional gains of 80 in private education and health services, and 30 in professional and business services. There were seasonal losses of 40 jobs in construction and 20 in leisure and hospitality.

Government lost 140 jobs from a decrease of 70 in location education, 40 in federal government, and 30 in Indian tribal.

OED said when comparing December 2021 with December 2020, total nonfarm employment is up 770 jobs or 2.1 percent. Large over-the-year gains were seen in leisure and hospitality with 650, other services with 130, manufacturing with 90 and construction with 60. There were losses of 220 in professional and business services, 70 in financial activities, 50 in wholesale trade and 30 in mining and logging.