SALEM, Ore. — Reports from the Oregon Employment Department (OED) are starting to become entirely predictable. For the 17th month in a row, the state's unemployment rate has hung steady at 4.1 percent, which is the lowest since the state began keeping these kinds of records in 1976.
The nation enjoys an even better unemployment rate—dipping to 3.9 percent in April, and even further to 3.8 percent in May.
While Oregon saw a net loss in payroll employment in April, 4,800 jobs were added in the month of May throughout the state. Most of those jobs were in the construction industry (1,600 jobs), health care and social assistance (1,500 jobs), professional and business services (1,000 jobs) and leisure and hospitality (900 jobs).
The construction industry in particular is at an all time high for labor, with a record 106,400 jobs in the state. This was the first time that construction has risen above its previous record high—reached more than 10 years ago in August 2007 when there were 105,400 jobs.
Oregon's growth rate in new jobs rose 1.9 percent over the past year. The national growth rate was 1.6 percent during that time.
Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.1% in May. For 17 consecutive months, the rate has been at or near 4.1%, its lowest level since comparable records began in 1976. https://t.co/MWJ8BWbWBQ #PressRelease #unemployment pic.twitter.com/gXpNjdxMfJ
— Oregon Employment (@ORemployment) June 12, 2018
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