South Central Oregon employment numbers for July 2021
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The following is a press release from the State of Oregon Employment Department.
SALEM, Ore. - The region posted strong monthly employment gains in July, exceeding seasonal expectations. Despite these gains, unemployment levels were little changed.
Recent revisions using payroll tax records through the first quarter of 2021 were mixed.
Employment levels were revised down marginally in Klamath County, meanwhile, the employment situation is nearing recovery from the pandemic in Lake County after upward revisions.
Klamath County
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate posted a modest drop to 7.0% in July, down from 7.2% in June. The unemployment rate remains higher than before the first impacts of COVID-19 when it was 5.8% in February 2020.
Klamath County lost 480 jobs in July, fewer losses than typically expected this time of year. Employment levels remain down around 870 jobs (-3.7%) from the pre-COVID peak in March 2020. Recent revisions revealed that the employment recovery through the first quarter of 2021 was marginally slower than initially estimated.
Monthly job losses were concentated in local education as schools largely closed for the summer months. However, the county continued to see job gains in leisure and hospitality and construction.
Lake County
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.5% in July. The rate was 3.8% in February 2020, before the impacts of COVID-19 were first felt.
Lake County added 50 jobs in July, stronger gains than are typical for this time of year. The seasonally adjusted job gains in July combined with recent revisions revealed that a recovery from COVID job losses is within reach. Employment levels in July were only down 30 jobs (-1.2%) from the pre-COVID peak.
There were normal seasonal job losses in local education due to summer break; however, these losses were overcome by gains in a variety of industry sectors. Notable gains were posted in federal government, manufacturing, construction, and leisure and hospitality.
