FORIMMEDIATERELEASE:March17,2015
NEWS
PRESSCONFERENCEPRESENTER:
NickBeleiciks,StateEmploymentEconomist
CONTACTINFORMATION:
DavidCooke,Economist(503)947‐1272
Oregon’sUnemploymentRateFallsto5.8PercentinFebruary
Oregon’sunemploymentratedroppedto5.8percentinFebruaryfrom6.3percentinJanuary.Thiswas
thesecondconsecutivelargedropintherate,puttingFebruary’srateatthelowestsinceMay2008.
Oregon’sunemploymentrateisnowwithinthreetenthsoftheU.S.rate,thesmallestgapsinceOctober
2013.
Severalotherlabormarketindicatorsarereflectingstrength:
‐ Thenumberoflong‐termunemployedcontinuedtodrop.Roughly35,000Oregonianshave
beenunemployedforsixmonthsormore,comparedwithmorethan100,000inthatsituation
attheworstoftherecession.
‐ Thenumberofinvoluntarypart‐timeworkersdroppedto105,000inFebruary,20,000fewer
thanoneyearago.
‐ ThenumberofOregoniansunemployedbecausetheylosttheirjobdroppedbelow40,000for
thefirsttimesince2007.InFebruary,moreOregonianswereunemployedbecausetheychose
toleavetheirpriorjoborjoinedthelabormarketthanbecausethey’dlosttheirjob.
Nonfarmpayrollemploymentroseby2,400inFebruary—thesmallestmonthlyincreaseinsixmonths.
Restaurants,healthcare,andconstructionwereamongthebiggainers.Leisureandhospitality—an
industrycomprisedlargelyofrestaurants—added2,100jobsinFebruary.Nationally,consumer
spendingatrestaurantsroserapidlysincelastyear,perhapspartiallyduetopeoplehavingmore
moneytospendsincegasolinepricesplunged.Healthcareandsocialassistanceadded1,100jobsin
February,bolsteredbyrapidhiringamongfirmsprovidingservicesfortheelderly.Construction
activity,benefitingfromOregon’swarmanddrywinter,added900jobs.
Despitetheseimprovements,wagegainsremainmodestwithaverageprivate‐sectorpayrollearnings
inOregonrisingonly18centsperhour,or0.8percent,duringthepast12months.
NextPressReleases
TheOregonEmploymentDepartmentplanstoreleasetheFebruarycountyandmetropolitanarea
unemploymentratesonTuesday,March24th,andthestatewideunemploymentrateandemployment
surveydataforMarchonTuesday,April14th.
SUPPORT BUSINESS • PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT
NEWS
Oregon Unemployment Rate,
Seasonally Adjusted
Percent
Millions
Oregon Nonfarm Payroll Employment,
Seasonally Adjusted
1.8
12.0
11.0
10.0
1.7
9.0
8.0
7.0
1.6
6.0
5.0
4.0
1.5
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
SeasonalExpectationsand
Over‐the‐MonthEmploymentChanges
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
January2015toFebruary2015
Normal
Seasonal
Movement
Unadjusted
Change
Seasonally
Adjusted
Change
Totalnonfarmpayroll
employment
5,600
8,000
2,400
Totalprivate
1,200
3,300
2,100
100
0
-100
-600
300
900
800
1,200
400
INDUSTRY
Miningandlogging
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesaletrade
0
-600
-600
-2,700
-2,900
-200
-400
-1,300
-900
0
-200
-200
Financialactivities
-100
-400
-300
Professionaland
businessservices
1,500
700
-800
1,500
3,100
1,600
200
1,300
1,100
Leisureandhospitality
100
2,200
2,100
Otherservices
800
-100
-900
4,400
4,700
300
Retailtrade
Transportation,
warehousingandutilities
Information
Privateeducational
services
Healthcareandsocial
assistance
Government
SUPPORT BUSINESS • PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT
EmploymentDepartmentNewsRelease
Page3of3
March17,2015
Note:allnumbersintheabovenarrativeareseasonallyadjusted.
TheOregonEmploymentDepartmentandtheU.S.BureauofLaborStatistics(BLS)workcooperativelyto
developandpublishmonthlyOregonpayrollemploymentandlaborforcedata.Theestimatesofmonthlyjob
gainsandlossesarebasedonasurveyofbusinesses.Theestimatesofunemploymentarebasedonasurveyof
householdsandothersources.
Thepdfversionofthenewsrelease,includingtablesandgraphs,canbefoundatwww.QualityInfo.org/press‐
release.ToobtainthedatainotherformatssuchasinExcel,visitwww.QualityInfo.org,thenwithinthetop
banner,selectEconomicData,thenchooseLAUSorCES.TorequestthepressreleaseasaWorddocument,
contactthepersonshownatthetopofthispressrelease.
Forhelpfindingjobsandtrainingresources,visitoneofthestate'sWorkSourceOregonCentersorgoto:
www.WorkSourceOregon.org.
EqualOpportunityprogram—auxiliaryaidsandservicesavailableuponrequesttoindividualswith
disabilities.Contact:(503)947‐1794.FortheDeafandHardofHearingpopulation,call711
TelecommunicationsRelayServices.
SUPPORT BUSINESS • PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT
Workforce and Economic Research
2014 Benchmark
March 16, 2015
Oregon Current Labor Force and Industry Employment
February
January
February
Change From
Change From
2015
2015
2014
January 2015
February 2014
Labor Force Status
Civilian labor force
Unemployed
1,940,394
1,942,694
1,910,782
-2,300
29,612
119,515
127,925
153,829
-8,410
-34,314
Unemployment rate
6.2
6.6
8.1
-0.4
-1.9
Unemployment rate, seasonally adjusted
5.8
6.3
7.1
-0.5
-1.3
1,820,879
1,814,769
1,756,953
6,110
63,926
Labor force participation rate, seasonally adjusted
61.4
61.6
60.9
-0.2
0.5
Labor underutilization rate – U-6, seasonally adjusted
12.1
12.7
14.8
-0.6
-2.7
1,735,800
1,727,800
1,677,500
8,000
58,300
1,432,000
1,428,700
1,380,600
3,300
51,400
7,100
7,100
7,400
0
-300
5,800
5,800
6,000
0
-200
76,700
76,400
73,700
300
3,000
20,400
20,400
18,700
0
1,700
11,700
11,600
10,400
100
1,300
Employed
Other Labor Force Indicators
Nonfarm Payroll Employment
Total nonfarm payroll employment
Total private
Mining and logging
Logging
Construction
Construction of buildings
Residential building construction
Nonresidential building construction
8,700
8,800
8,300
-100
400
Heavy and civil engineering construction
8,000
7,700
7,600
300
400
48,300
48,300
47,400
0
900
8,700
8,800
8,400
-100
300
Specialty trade contractors
Building foundation and exterior contractors
Building equipment contractors
22,400
22,800
23,600
-400
-1,200
Building finishing contractors
11,000
10,600
9,900
400
1,100
6,200
6,100
5,500
100
700
181,600
180,400
174,100
1,200
7,500
128,100
127,300
123,700
800
4,400
21,800
21,700
21,600
100
200
Sawmills and wood preservation
6,300
6,300
6,300
0
0
Plywood and engineered wood product mfg.
8,100
8,100
8,200
0
-100
Other wood product manufacturing
7,400
7,300
7,100
100
300
8,400
8,400
8,300
0
100
15,300
15,300
15,100
0
200
Other specialty trade contractors
Manufacturing
Durable goods
Wood product manufacturing
Primary metal manufacturing
Fabricated metal product manufacturing
Machinery manufacturing
12,200
12,300
12,000
-100
200
Computer and electronic product manufacturing
37,200
37,000
36,100
200
1,100
1,000
Semiconductor and electronic component mfg.
28,700
28,500
27,700
200
Electronic instrument manufacturing
5,100
5,200
5,100
-100
0
Transportation equipment manufacturing
11,700
11,600
11,100
100
600
53,500
53,100
50,400
400
3,100
26,200
26,100
25,100
100
1,100
8,900
8,900
8,900
0
0
4,400
4,400
4,500
0
-100
324,100
328,900
315,600
-4,800
8,500
72,400
73,000
71,700
-600
700
33,200
33,400
32,300
-200
900
Nondurable goods
Food manufacturing
Fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty
Paper manufacturing
Trade, transportation, and utilities
Wholesale trade
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods
Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods
25,900
26,200
25,900
-300
0
Electronic markets and agents and brokers
13,300
13,400
13,500
-100
-200
6,100
Retail trade
194,100
197,000
188,000
-2,900
Motor vehicle and parts dealers
23,700
23,400
22,900
300
800
Building material and garden supply stores
14,100
13,900
13,800
200
300
Food and beverage stores
40,600
40,900
39,500
-300
1,100
Clothing and clothing accessories stores
15,700
16,500
15,200
-800
500
9,900
10,100
9,600
-200
300
General merchandise stores
40,900
42,000
39,700
-1,100
1,200
Miscellaneous store retailers
10,300
10,300
10,000
0
300
6,100
6,600
6,100
-500
0
Sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores
Nonstore retailers
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David Cooke (503) 947-1272
Transportation, warehousing, and utilities
Utilities
Transportation and warehousing
Truck transportation
Couriers and messengers
Warehousing and storage
February
January
February
Change From
Change From
2015
2015
2014
January 2015
February 2014
57,600
58,900
55,900
-1,300
4,400
4,400
4,500
0
1,700
-100
53,200
54,500
51,400
-1,300
1,800
18,000
18,200
17,800
-200
200
7,400
7,500
7,200
-100
200
7,000
7,000
6,800
0
200
32,100
32,300
31,800
-200
300
14,100
14,100
13,800
0
300
4,000
4,000
4,200
0
-200
10,100
10,100
9,600
0
500
6,100
6,100
6,700
0
-600
91,800
92,200
90,000
-400
1,800
55,300
55,400
55,600
-100
-300
Credit intermediation and related activities
26,000
26,200
26,900
-200
-900
Insurance carriers and related activities
23,600
23,700
23,400
-100
200
36,500
36,800
34,400
-300
2,100
Information
Publishing industries, except internet
Newspaper, book, and directory publishers
Software publishers
Telecommunications
Financial activities
Finance and insurance
Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate
Professional and business services
Professional and technical services
31,800
32,000
29,600
-200
2,200
222,900
222,200
210,700
700
12,200
5,000
88,100
86,700
83,100
1,400
Legal services
12,100
12,300
11,700
-200
400
Architectural and engineering services
13,200
13,100
12,800
100
400
Computer systems design and related services
14,500
14,700
13,900
-200
600
Management of companies and enterprises
41,700
41,600
39,300
100
2,400
Administrative and waste services
93,100
93,900
88,300
-800
4,800
88,100
89,000
83,400
-900
4,700
Employment services
36,100
36,700
34,100
-600
2,000
Business support services
15,600
15,600
15,700
0
-100
Services to buildings and dwellings
20,700
21,100
18,500
-400
2,200
258,100
253,700
247,400
4,400
10,700
37,600
34,500
36,600
3,100
1,000
220,500
219,200
210,800
1,300
9,700
Administrative and support services
Educational and health services
Educational services
Health care and social assistance
Ambulatory health care services
80,700
80,100
77,700
600
3,000
Hospitals
54,600
54,700
53,100
-100
1,500
Nursing and residential care facilities
48,500
48,000
45,900
500
2,600
Social assistance
36,700
36,400
34,100
300
2,600
Leisure and hospitality
178,600
176,400
172,200
2,200
6,400
23,600
22,900
22,000
700
1,600
Arts, entertainment, and recreation
Amusement, gambling, and recreation
17,600
17,300
16,200
300
1,400
155,000
153,500
150,200
1,500
4,800
20,400
19,800
20,200
600
200
134,600
133,700
130,000
900
4,600
Full-service restaurants
64,500
64,000
61,300
500
3,200
Limited-service eating places
56,600
56,100
55,600
500
1,000
59,000
59,100
57,700
-100
1,300
Repair and maintenance
15,900
16,300
15,800
-400
100
Personal and laundry services
13,800
13,800
13,300
0
500
Membership associations and organizations
29,300
29,000
28,600
300
700
16,900
16,700
16,700
200
200
6,900
Accommodation and food services
Accommodation
Food services and drinking places
Other services
Religious organizations
Government
303,800
299,100
296,900
4,700
Federal government
26,400
26,400
26,400
0
0
State government
87,200
85,500
84,200
1,700
3,000
State education
34,800
33,400
34,400
1,400
400
Local government
190,200
187,200
186,300
3,000
3,900
Indian tribal
Local education
Labor-management disputes
8,200
8,200
8,100
0
100
101,600
99,100
100,500
2,500
1,100
0
0
0
0
0
The most recent month is preliminary, the prior month is revised. Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Labor Force Status: Civilian labor force includes employed and unemployed individuals 16 years and older by place of residence. Employed includes nonfarm payroll employment,
self-employed, unpaid family workers, domestics, agriculture and labor disputants. Unemployment rate is calculated by dividing unemployed by civilian labor force.
U-6 is the total unemployed plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force plus total employed part-time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus
all persons marginally attached to the labor force.
Nonfarm Payroll Employment: Data are by place of work and cover full- and part-time employees who worked or received pay for the pay period that includes the 12th of the month.
The data exclude the self-employed, volunteers, unpaid family workers, and domestics. These survey-based estimates are revised quarterly, based on more complete information
from employer tax records.
or2015est.xlsm "CLFIE"
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David Cooke (503) 947-1272