CONTACT : David Cooke, Economist
WorkSource Oregon Employment Department
(503) 947-1272
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Oregon's Employment Situation: April 2010

Oregon's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged at 10.6 percent in April, the same level as in March. The rate has been essentially unchanged for the most recent six months. Oregon's unemployment rate was 11.5 percent in April 2009.

The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 9.9 percent in April from 9.7 percent in March.

In April, Oregon's seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 3,900 jobs, following a loss of 700 (as revised) in March. The April increase was the largest monthly gain in two and a half years. The most recent month with a larger gain was in October 2007, when Oregon added 4,800 payroll jobs.

Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey Data)
In April, most of the major industries performed near their normal pattern. Only one major industry showed a seasonally adjusted job change of 1,000 or more: government (+2,800 jobs). Three major industries added close to 500 jobs each, while only one major industry posted a substantial job decline: manufacturing (-500 jobs).

Government added 1,700 jobs in April at a time of year when a loss of 1,100 is expected due to seasonality. The addition of 1,022 intermittent Census workers boosted both federal government and total government for April, adding to the 930 already working for Census in March. Local government added 500 jobs, but was down 500 from April 2009.

Construction added 1,300 jobs in April, which was close to the normal seasonal gain for the month. This industry has shown a seasonally adjusted job gain of 400 between February and April, marking the first such gain since early 2007. Despite the recent uptick, the industry employed only 64,400 in April, compared with more than 105,000 at the height of the housing boom in early 2007.

In April, most of the gains came in specialty trade contractors firms, with each of these three component industry categories adding 400 jobs: building foundation and exterior contractors, building equipment contractors, and building finishing contractors.

Manufacturing cut 800 jobs in April, when a loss of only 300 was expected due to seasonal factors. Most of the losses were concentrated in nondurable goods manufacturing, which shed 700 jobs. This industry employed 47,200 in April compared with 47,400 in April 2009.

Information added 400 jobs in April during a month that is typically flat. The industry employed 32,800, which was about the same level as in April 2009. Not following the monthly trend of the larger industry called “information", the component industry “publishing industries," except internet, cut 100 jobs in April. Experiencing declines in advertising spending coupled with a shift from print to electronic media, it has been shedding jobs since its recent peak of 16,100 in late 2007.

Financial activities added 1,000 jobs in April, when a gain of only 600 is the normal seasonal pattern. April saw the end of the federal tax incentive for first-time homebuyers. This likely boosted activity in the real estate and mortgage brokerage businesses. Real estate was up 900 jobs for the month, while credit intermediation and related activities was up 200 jobs. Overall, financial activities employed 93,500 jobs in Oregon, which is down from its peak of over 107,000 jobs nearly three years ago.

Other services appears to be rallying. It added 400 jobs in April, during a month that typically sees a drop of 200 jobs. Modest job gains were spread among its published component industries. Repair and maintenance has added 600 jobs since January, while personal and laundry services has added 300 during that time. The industry called “other services" grew steadily and rapidly during the two decades preceding the recent downturn. If recent job gains continue, then the industry will have bottomed at 56,500 in October 2009.

Unemployment (Household Survey Data)
In both March and April, Oregon's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 10.6 percent.

In April, 211,688 Oregonians were unemployed. In April 2009, 225,744 Oregonians were unemployed.

As the national economy expands, following one of the deepest recessions in decades, many individuals who had dropped out of the labor force are returning. This appears to be happening in Oregon as well. Oregon's labor force participation rate rose to 64.7 percent in April after having bottomed at 64.0 percent in December.

The signs of encouragement from an expanding economy are also evident in the seasonally adjusted labor force and employment figures. Oregon's civilian labor force reached a recent low of 1,935,774 in December 2009. Since then the labor force has risen by 27,849, which equates to an annual growth rate of over four percent. Similarly, seasonally adjusted employment reached a recent low of 1,730,093 in December and has grown by nearly 25,000 over the last four months.

The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the April county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Monday, May 24th and the statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for May on June 15th.

For the complete version of the news release, including tables and graphs, visit: www.QualityInfo.org/pressrelease.

If you need this release in the Spanish language, please contact Loretta Gallegos as 503-947-1794.

For help finding jobs and training resources, visit one of the state's WorkSource Oregon Centers or go to: www.WorkSourceOregon.org.

Equal Opportunity program has auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities.