BEND, OR — Oregon’s jobless rate hit 6.9% in July, up slightly from June’s 6.8%.
“That’s not a significant increase, but it means that Oregon’s unemployment rate has essentially been flat for all of 2014,” said employment economist Nick Beleicik.
He said employers added 200 jobs in July, following a revised loss of 3,000 jobs in June. Beleicik added some sectors have reported a strong summer.
“Manufacturing added 1,600 jobs in July, and has generally been adding jobs all year. Health care and social assistance continues to just keep adding jobs, piling on another 1,300 jobs in July.”
Many of those gains, however, were offset by losses in retail trade and private educational services. While July’s unemployment rate inched higher, it dropped from 8% reported this time last year, and 8.7% jobless rate in July 2012.
The Central Oregon unemployment rates are expected to be released next week.
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