C.O. jobless rates steady, but hiring slowdown seen
The hiring slowdown seen in many areas lately became more apparent in June on the High Desert, the Oregon Employment Department’s regional economist said Tuesday.
” Many communities across the High Desert posted levels of job growth that have not been this slow in more than six years, ” Regional Economist Damon Runberg said.
” The exception is Crook County, where employment growth accelerated this spring. The slower job growth is not being driven by large layoffs, as unemployment levels remain stable and largely unchanged over the past several years.
Crook County: The unemployment rate remained little changed at 5.7 percent in June compared with 5.8 percent in May. The rate was 5.9 percent this time last year. The unemployment rate has been stable and largely unchanged over the past two and half years.
Crook County added 210 jobs in June, stronger hiring than typically expected this time of year.
Crooks County’s long-term employment situation continues to improve, with total nonfarm employment up 180 (+3%) from last June. Hiring is widespread with the largest gains in information (+50 jobs); professional and business services (+40); and manufacturing (+30). There were no significant industry job losses over the past year.
Deschutes County (Bend-Redmond MSA): The unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in June, which is largely unchanged from May (4.3%). In fact, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has been below 5 percent since July 2016.
Deschutes County added 450 jobs in June, roughly half as many jobs as we would typically expect to see added this time of year, Runberg said.
The pace of hiring continues to trend down, with Deschutes County only adding 1,320 jobs over the past year (+1.5%). Over-the-year job gains have not been this low since September 2012 when the county added 1,290 jobs from the previous year.
Runberg said the pace of hiring slowed for two reasons. First, it looks like tourism-related industries have largely peaked; leisure and hospitality employment is only up around 1.4 percent from this time last year.
Second, one of the strongest growth sectors over the past several years, professional and business services, started losing jobs this year (-750 jobs). Other industries such as construction and health care continue to add jobs, but their pace of growth is also slowing.
Jefferson County: The unemployment rate remained largely unchanged at 5.5 percent in June from 5.6 percent in May. The rate was 5.2 percent this time last year.
Jefferson County added 50 jobs in June, fewer jobs than typically expected this time of year. The slow hiring has been consistent all spring with seasonal hiring below expectations going back to April.
Employment levels are largely unchanged from this time last year, due to the weak seasonal hiring this year. Private sector employment remains up over the past year (+110 jobs). However, losses in government, particularly Indian tribal government, are largely negating those modest private-sector gains. There continues to be strong hiring over the past year in the manufacturing sector (+80 jobs).
Next Press Releases
The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the July county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, August 20 th and the statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for July on Tuesday, August 13 th .
