Oregon's Payroll Employment Reaches All-Time High in November

November was a record month for employment in Oregon. Payroll employment is now at its all-time high, finally surpassing the pre-recession employment peak seen in December 2007. Here are a few highlights from this month's press release:

• Seasonally adjusted payroll employment jumped to a record 1,740,800, which was 3,000 above the prior peak in December 2007.
• November was the largest one-month gain (+11,200) for Oregon since comparable records began in 1990. 
• The labor force grew for the seventh straight month, with over-the-year gains of nearly 41,000.
• The unemployment rate was unchanged at 7.0 percent, partly because employment gains have been matched by rapid labor force growth.