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| April Statewide Unemployment Rate | ||
| 05/16/2005 | ||
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Unemployment Rate inches up in April Contact: David Cooke, Economist Oregon Employment Department (503) 947-1272 Oregon’s Employment Situation: April 2005 Oregon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.5 percent in April, increasing slightly from a revised rate of 6.1 percent in March. In April, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted payroll employment increased 400, following an upwardly revised gain of 7,200 in March. The March revision was 2,200 jobs higher than the preliminary March estimate. In April, the strongest gains were seen in construction. Nonfarm payroll employment is up 52,700 or 3.3 percent since April 2004, with strong over-the-year gains in most major industries. Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey Data) • Construction reported another month of healthy job growth, gaining 2,000 jobs in April. That is 1,000 more jobs than construction typically adds during April. Oregon’s 2.4 percent gain lagged behind the nation’s 4.0 percent construction gain. Specialty trade contractors accounted for most of the monthly growth, gaining 1,600 jobs in April. Construction has grown by 6,300 jobs since April 2004. • Manufacturing employment was unchanged in April, with a gain of 500 jobs in durable goods offset by a 500-job decline in nondurable goods. Typically the manufacturing sector grows by 1,400 jobs in April. Most of the industries within manufacturing experienced little change in April, no industry changed by more than 200 jobs. Durable goods has gained 6,700 jobs over the year. Wood product manufacturing is up 1,200 jobs in that time, as strong residential construction has boosted demand. Fabricated metal manufacturing has added 1,300 jobs in the past 12 months. Computer and electronic product manufacturing has added 1,200 jobs, as the industry rebounds and semiconductor production activity picks up. Also, transportation equipment manufacturing has grown rapidly, adding 1,500 jobs since April 2004. However, nondurable goods manufacturing has declined 1,300 since April 2004, as food manufacturing and printing have cut jobs. • Trade, transportation, and utilities gained 1,300 jobs in April, about 300 less than the sector typically adds in April. Wholesale trade showed little change, but has increased 2,100 since April 2004. Retail trade added 1,400 jobs in April; much of that increase was due to gains in food and beverage stores and gasoline stations. Overall transportation, warehousing, and utilities was unchanged in April. However, truck transportation did decline by 500. • Professional and business services added 2,800 jobs in April, showing normal seasonal gains. Over the year, professional and business services gained 5,600 jobs. • Other services added 600 jobs in April. The gain can be attributed to personal and laundry services employment which grew by 600. The sector has gained 2,500 since April 2004. • Government employment declined 600 in April. Typically, government employment declines by 1,400 in April. State government was responsible for much of the decline, dropping 700 jobs. Of the 700 jobs lost in state government, 500 were in state education. Local government was essentially unchanged in April, but has gained 4,000 jobs in the past 12 months. Unemployment (Household Survey Data) Oregon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.5 percent in April and 6.1 percent in March. In April 2004 Oregon’s unemployment rate was 7.4 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.2 percent in April 2005. In April, 124,187 Oregonians were unemployed, compared with 138,035 in April 2004. Oregon’s seasonally adjusted labor force reached 1,873,822 in April, a record high. The Oregon Employment Department will release statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for May 2005 at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 13, 2005. — end —
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 - auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. |
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