Oregon’s unemployment rate of 5.5 for June is slightly higher than the national average. That’s according to numbers released by the state’s employment department. The jobless rate increased in Lane and Douglas counties as well.
The increase in unemployment in both counties is due to growth in the labor force. Regional economist Brian Rooney says when college students graduate in June, they’re added to the labor force. They’re also added to the unemployment rate.
Rooney: “It’s not because employment isn’t growing. In both counties seasonal adjusted employment was up. But generally, the in-migration and students graduating this time of year tends to be the unemployment rate up.”
When people move to a new area without a job Rooney says they add to the rate.
It’s uncertain whether the summer drought has affected the jobless rate. Rooney says the number of firefighters in Oregon has increased over the last few years.