Unemployment Rate Low, June 14

Oregon’s Unemployment Rate Reaches Record Low 3.6 Percent in May.  Oregon’s unemployment rate edged down to 3.6 percent in May from 3.7 percent in April, reaching a new record low since comparable records began in 1976. Oregon’s rate was significantly below its year-ago rate of 5.0 percent in May 2016. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in May 2017. As unemployment edged down, the labor force hit a record high. For the first time, in May, Oregon’s labor force rose above 2.1 million. The labor force grew by 40,000 in the first five months of this year.