May job numbers: Deschutes, Crook counties improve; layoffs hit Jefferson County
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Deschutes and Crook counties saw some recovery in May from a major COVID-19-related spike in unemployment, but wood products layoffs in Jefferson County kept things going in the other direction, a state Employment Department regional economist said Tuesday.
Phase 1 of the economy's reopening occurred during the reference week for the new figures, Regional Economist Damon Runberg said. That meant a "modest improvement," he said, as businesses began calling back laid-off workers.
"It looks like the peak of job losses were likely in early May, but we began to turn the corner by May 15th," Runberg said. "The one exception is Jefferson County, which posted a large layoff event in May, resulting in a significant increase in the unemployment rate from April."
Madras-based Bright Wood Corp. laid off more than 200 workers this spring from factories in Redmond and Madras.
Here's Runberg's full report:
The movement into Phase 1 of COVID-19 reopening in Central Oregon moved the needle for the regional labor market. The unemployment rate improved slightly in May as many workers on temporary layoff began getting called back to work.
Crook County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 17.5 percent in May, down from 18.3 percent in April. The number of employed workers rose by 251 in May from April. The unemployment rate remains up significantly from this time last year, when it was 5.3 percent.
Total nonfarm employment rose by 100 jobs for Crook County businesses. Although the county added jobs, the number of jobs added was fewer than we would expect this time of year during normal economic conditions.
Compared with this time last year, total non-farm employment remains down by 790 jobs (-12.9%). Nearly every major industry sector posted job losses over the past year, with the exception being information (+20 jobs). The largest losses continue to be seen in leisure and hospitality (-260); construction (-140); retail trade (-100); and manufacturing (-90).
Deschutes County (Bend-Redmond MSA): The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 16.3 percent in May, down from 18.3 percent in April. An additional 3,068 workers were employed in May, compared with April. The rate remains significantly higher than this time last year, when it was 3.9 percent.
Deschutes County added 1,680 jobs in May, on a seasonally adjusted basis. Roughly 11 percent of the jobs that were lost in April were added back in May.
Total non-farm employment remains down by 13.9 percent from this time last year (-12,120 jobs). The largest losses continue to be seen in leisure and hospitality, down 6,160 from last year (-45.6%). Other hard-hit sectors include professional and business services (-1,470 jobs); local government (-1,460 jobs); health services (-810 jobs); and retail trade (-750 jobs). After a dip in April, construction rebounded, with employment levels roughly the same as this time last year.
Jefferson County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 17 percent in May, up from 14.5 percent in April. Jefferson County was one of only a handful of counties in the state to post a significant unemployment rate increase in May. The rate remains up significantly from this time last year when it was 5.1 percent.
The unemployment rate rose due to continued job losses from Jefferson County businesses in May. Total nonfarm employment dropped by 130 jobs in May. These monthly losses were concentrated in manufacturing, which dropped 180 jobs from April.
Over the past year employment remains down by 1,270 (-18.8%). Jefferson is among the hardest hit counties from COVID-19 layoffs. Manufacturing posted the largest job losses over the past year (-310), followed by leisure and hospitality (-300).
Next Press Releases
The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the June county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, July 21st and the statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for June on Tuesday, July 14th.
