Oregon Releases 1Q 2021 Jobs Report

Oregon released the March 2021 jobs report on April 13th, revealing what we could already surmise: employment in Oregon is on the rise, but not to full pandemic recovery. The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis reports “In short, Oregon’s employment is a bit lower than the nation’s due to the pandemic and more restrictive health measures. Employment in local bars and restaurants is down more here than in many states and given Oregon schools are not full-time in-person, unlike some other states, that means public employment is down further as well (substitute teachers mostly). As the economy reopens and the pandemic wanes due to rising vaccinations, these gaps are expected to close in the year ahead. On the flipside, Oregon has seen stronger growth in e-commerce related sectors than much of the country. Jobs in transportation and warehousing have been particularly strong.”

The Oregon Employment Department reports two-thirds of job gains in March occurred in leisure and hospitality with an increase of 13,900 jobs. The other major industries contributing to the increase of employment numbers are manufacturing (+2,000 jobs) , professional and business services (+1,300 jobs).