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40 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, April 1, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend March 20, 2004 County’s unemployment numbers reflect improvement By GREG STILES Mail Tribune Jackson County’s winter employment doldrums are apparently now in the rear-view mirror. Oregon Employment Department figures released Friday show the unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent in February from 8.3 percent in January. Beyond the month-to-month improvement, the bigger employment picture shows that Jackson County’s jobless rate has dropped 0.7 percent year-over-year. Payroll job counts grew in February by 440 jobs over January and there are 1,310 more jobs than there were in 2003, a 1.8 percent growth rate. "The winter season unemployment rate goes up a lot, showing the seasonality of our Southern Oregon economy," says Ainoura Oussenbec, an Employment Department work-force analyst. "The unemployment rate the last two months has been a bit high, but it’s going to keep going down, we think, because of normal seasonal employment changes." Josephine County’s jobless rate decreased to 9.3 percent from 9.9 percent last month and 9.7 percent a year ago. Advertisement Jackson County’s robust construction industry created another 60 jobs in February, and employment has increased by nearly 300 jobs during the past year. Manufacturing employment, trending upward since mid-2003, added another 40 jobs last month, putting the sector 160 jobs ahead of 12 months ago. Retail trade employment, despite losing 180 jobs in February, stands 100 ahead of last year. The ranks of professional and business services, bolstered by an increase in temporary help and employee leasing agency employment, swelled by 200 jobs in February. A rise in temporary hires is generally considered a precursor to general job growth. Although health care has produced 500 new jobs — or more than a third of the county’s new positions — in the past year, some of its January gains dissolved last month as 70 jobs disappeared. Employment Department regional economist Guy Tauer noted that the opening of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival season in Ashland ignited gains of more than 80 new jobs in the leisure and hospitality sector. Accommodations and food services employment was little changed over the month, but remains 220 jobs ahead for the past 12 months. State and local education employment increased in February, combining for 250 additional hires. During the past year, state education employment has been essentially unchanged, while local education payrolls have declined by 300 jobs. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4463 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times