Oregon’s employment rate barely budged in January
Signs in windows and doorways throughout Salem are alerting residents to changing business hours and access limits as life adjusts to pandemic times. (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)
Oregon’s unemployment rate was 6.2% in January, barely budging from December’s 6.3% rate, according to the state Employment Department.
January’s decline is much less pronounced than drops seen last spring and summer when Covid pandemic restrictions were eased. According to the department, nonfarm payroll in Oregon increased by 8,300 jobs in January following a loss of 27,500 jobs in December. In November, Gov. Kate Brown enacted a new round of pandemic restrictions in response to rising Covid numbers.
The unemployment rate for the Salem area was 5.9% in January, a decrease from December’s 6.3%. Although an improvement, Salem still has 9,100 fewer jobs than in February of 2020.
Each month’s employment figures are released the following month, but because of a routine review of data by federal agencies January’s numbers come out in early March.
-Jake Thomas
