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November 2012 Statewide Unemployment Rate
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Article Content
Oregon’s
seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November was 8.4 percent,
essentially unchanged from 8.6 percent in October. The November 2011
unemployment rate was 9.1 percent.
Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey Data)
On
a seasonally adjusted basis, preliminary estimates from the federal
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicate nonfarm payroll employment in
Oregon rose by 600 jobs in November. The private sector added 1,400 jobs
over the month, while the public sector declined by 800.
Revised
estimates for October show a loss of only 800 jobs, when a loss of
2,400 was initially reported. Upward revisions were largest in
professional and business services and in leisure and hospitality.
Over
the past year, the BLS estimates from November 2011 to November 2012
show a seasonally adjusted job gain of 18,700, or 1.2 percent, for
Oregon’s nonfarm payroll employment. During that time the private sector
added an estimated 20,500 jobs (+1.5%), while government lost 1,800
jobs ( 0.6%).
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates
that manufacturing has added to payrolls all year. Employment was up
5,000, or 3.0 percent, since November 2011. The sectors with the largest
over-the-year increases included wood products (+500 jobs), fabricated
metal products (+700), machinery (+800), and food manufacturing
(+1,800). Despite these gains in recent months, manufacturing, at
169,900 jobs in November, was still well below its recent peak
employment of 213,000 in August 2006.
Seasonally adjusted
employment in construction has hovered close to 70,000 over the past
three years. In November, this measure of construction employment dipped
to 68,400, which tied March as the low point for the year. Apparently,
rapid gains in statewide multi-unit and single-unit building permits
this year have yet to translate to substantial net employment gains in
the construction industry. The industry remains well below its record
employment readings of more than 100,000 that were seen throughout much
of 2006 and 2007.
Economists with the BLS estimate that
private-sector educational and health services has been near 238,000
jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis for over a year. This sector has
flattened out during this period as a result of changes in much of the
health care industry that have resulted in slowing expansion at some
firms, coupled with outright contractions at others. Private-sector
educational services added 1,200 jobs in October and has expanded
rapidly and consistently over the past 10 years. This industry, which
includes private colleges as well as elementary and secondary schools,
employed 37,600 in November compared with 27,000 in November 2002.
The
BLS estimates that government employment continues to lag the recovery
of private-sector employment. Federal government was down 1,300 over the
past 12 months. State government shed 600 jobs in that time. Local
government, meanwhile, has added 500 jobs, with all of those gains
coming outside of local government education.
Holiday hiring in
retail, through November, appears to be stronger than last year. Retail
employed 197,200 in November, which was up 4,900 compared with November
2011. Clothing and accessories stores added the most jobs of the retail
categories, as it was up 1,400 from last year.
The BLS estimates
of monthly job gains and losses are based on a survey of businesses.
These preliminary estimates are subject to revision.
Hours and Earnings
(Establishment Survey Data)
The
average workweek for Oregon manufacturing production workers rose from
41.1 in October to 41.3 in November. This was the longest workweek since
October 2006 when it was also 41.3 hours. The manufacturing workweek
has been on a generally increasing trend for more than three years. In
November 2011, this workweek averaged 40.7 hours.
The autumn
months typically see higher average hourly earnings figures than in the
summer as fewer seasonal, lower-paid workers are employed. In November,
the average wage was $22.26 per hour for Oregon’s private-sector payroll
employees, up from $22.22 in October. Wages have increased 37 cents, or
1.7 percent, from November 2011 when the average was $21.89.
Unemployment
(Household Survey Data)
The
national unemployment rate was 7.7 percent in November and 7.9 percent
in October, while Oregon’s rate was 8.4 percent in November and 8.6
percent in October.
During the first 11 months of this year, Oregon’s unemployment rate has been between 8.4 percent and 8.9 percent.
In
November, 159,653 Oregonians were unemployed. This was 12,288 fewer
individuals than in November 2011 when 171,941 Oregonians were
unemployed.
Next Press Releases
The Oregon Employment
Department plans to release the November county and metropolitan area
unemployment rates on Monday, December 24th and the statewide
unemployment rate and employment survey data for December on Tuesday,
January 15th.
For many years, monthly employment estimates
for Oregon and its metropolitan areas were developed by Oregon
Employment Department economists.
In March 2011, responsibility
for the monthly employment estimates for Oregon and its metropolitan
areas shifted to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The
estimates developed by BLS are more heavily dependent on the sample of
businesses and less reliant on knowledge of local economic events. They
are also likely to demonstrate increased month-to-month variability.
Comments
or questions should be directed to Graham Slater, Administrator of the
Oregon Employment Department's Workforce and Economic Research Division,
at (503) 947-1212.
For the complete version of the news release, including tables and graphs, visit: www.QualityInfo.org/pressrelease.
If you need this release in the Spanish language, please contact Loretta Gallegos at 503-947-1794.
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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