Payroll employment shot up by 9,900 in October, according to a report from the Oregon Employment Dept. Most major industries added jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis, with three showing solid strength: professional and business services (+2,700 jobs); manufacturing (+2,200); and health care and social assistance (+2,000). The gain of 9,900 was the largest monthly increase in nearly 20 years. The last time Oregon’s economy added at least this many jobs was in August 1995 when 10,400 were added. Oregon’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 7.0 percent in October. Despite October’s strong job growth, the unemployment rate didn’t fall because more and more Oregonians are entering the labor force and looking for work. The September unemployment rate was also 7.0 percent, revised from the originally reported 7.1 percent. Oregon’s unemployment rate has remained in a tight range between 6.8 percent and 7.1 percent since December 2013.
