Oregon was unable to release its normal monthly employment estimate for September due to the federal government shutdown.
The state relies on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate statewide and local reports of joblessness. The data would normally have been released on Oct. 3, but with BLS employees on furlough, data for September was unavailable.
State economists were able to release their analysis of federal Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data from the second quarter of 2025. That report relies on data collected from unemployment insurance records.
That report found a decline of 3,800 jobs from a year prior.
"The private sector lost 11,100 jobs over the year, which was a decline of almost 1%. The government [sector] did add jobs, 7,300, and three-fourths of those gains were in local government," said Oregon Employment Economist Gail Krumenauer.
The monthly report also highlighted the number of federal employees in Oregon in the QCEW data. About 29,000 people in Oregon have a federal job that requires unemployment insurance. Rural counties tend to have the highest share of federal jobs.
Krumenauer added that the state will continue to publish the information it does have on its normal schedule.
