Lincoln County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.2 percent in July, a slight drop from June’s rate of 7.6 percent – but a full 2 percentage points higher than Oregon’s statewide average, according to figures released Tuesday by the Oregon Employment Department.
July’s unemployment rate was nearly half of the rate in July 2020, when it was 14.1 percent.
Oregon’s statewide unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in July, and the national rate was 5.4 percent.
The monthly report by regional economist Erik Knoder said seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 40 in July to 17,510 jobs. Seasonally adjusted figures compare expected changes with actual changes.
A gain of 340 jobs was expected for the month, but the county’s total nonfarm employment rose by only 300, Knoder said.
The private sector added 280 jobs, and government employment rose by 20. The leisure and hospitality sector added 230 jobs. Retail trade added 60 jobs. Other industries had smaller changes.
July’s total nonfarm employment numbers show a gain of 1,480 jobs compared with one year before, an increase of 8.7 percent.
The county lost 4,360 jobs in April 2020 as the pandemic hit, and it remains 980 jobs below its pre-pandemic employment of July 2019. Knoder said that almost every major industry added jobs over the past year. Leisure and hospitality recovered 630 jobs from the year before. Retail trade regained 140 jobs, and financial activities added back 120 jobs.
But yet every where you look, everyone is hiring. As long as the government keeps handing out “freebies”, many will have no initiative to work for a living.