April 20, 2022 3:50 a.m.

Douglas County payroll employment increased a seasonally adjusted 180 jobs in March after a loss of 50 in February and a loss of 230 in January.

A release from the State of Oregon Employment Department said Douglas County has gained back 68 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 March, there were gains in private education and health services of 50 jobs, and 40 each in the retail trade and leisure and hospitality categories. There was a loss in professional and business services of 50 jobs.

Rooney said government gained 30 jobs from gains of 10 each in federal, state and local government.

The OED release said when comparing March 2022 with March 2021, total nonfarm employment was unchanged. Large over-the-year gains were seen in leisure and hospitality of 340 jobs, 150 in the “other services” category and 50 in retail trade. There were losses of 300 in business and professional services, while transportation, warehousing and utilities lost 80, and construction lost 40 jobs.

Douglas County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 4.6 percent in March compared with a revised 4.7 percent in February. The rate is down from 6.8 percent in March of 2021.

The Oregon seasonally adjusted March rate was 3.8 percent while the U.S. rate was 3.6 percent.