Total payroll employment in Josephine County declined in November by 160 jobs, but it showed a modest gain over the past year.
According to the Oregon Employment Department, there were 33,899 people working in Josephine County last month for a seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 5.6%, which was the same as in October and up from 5.3% in November 2023.
Private-sector industries losing jobs in November were leisure & hospitality, manufacturing and financial activities. Private education & health services gained 40 jobs over the month. Both retail trade and transportation, warehousing & utilities added 20 jobs last month.
Local government education employment increased by 20 jobs while federal government and local government excluding educational services each lost 10 jobs.
Over the past year, payroll employment in Josephine County increased by 80 jobs, a gain of 0.3%.
Industries adding jobs since November 2023 included private education & health services (+520), transportation, warehousing & utilities (+50), and financial activities (+30). Industries with estimated losses were manufacturing (-220), professional & business services (-120), construction (-30), and leisure & hospitality (-20).
Government employment fell by 140 jobs over the year, mostly due to a decline of 140 jobs in local government education.
