The state lost 3,000 jobs in June
A new report finds that Oregon saw a statewide hiring freeze in September.
The Oregon Employment Department said the state lost 300 of its 1.7 million jobs last month. Not surprisingly, given the small change, the unemployment rate didn't budge from 7.1 percent.
It has been a hot-and-cold summer for Oregon's economy. The state lost 3,000 jobs in June, but gained them back over July and August, when employers added a collective 5,500 jobs.
Much of last month's slowdown was concentrated in the private sector, which shed 2,400 jobs in September. Manufacturing and and healthcare were particularly weak.
Yet there are signs that the job market is continuing to improve.
People poured into the workforce this summer, suggesting that some job seekers who gave up looking for work during and in the aftermath of the recession may have started hunting once again. The uptick may also be a sign that migration into Oregon is picking back up.
The influx is driving up the share of adults in the workforce. Though it remains near its lowest point in decades, the rate has started to rebound. It rose from 61.4 to 61.5 percent between August and September.