Oregon’s Unemployment Insurance Claimants by Industry

In 2016, the majority of continued claimants were in the following industries: trade (13.4%), manufacturing (13.1%), construction (10.3%), health care and social assistance (10.2%), and administrative and waste services (10.2%).

Some industries were severely affected by the recent recession. In December 2007, seasonally adjusted continued claims in construction, manufacturing, and trade were around 5,500 to 6,000 for each industry. The seasonally adjusted levels in each industry rapidly increased before peaking in 2009; construction increased to more than 15,000, manufacturing increased to over 19,000, and trade increased to nearly 14,000.

Likewise, the business cycle impacted the percentage distribution of continued claims by industry between 2007 and 2016. In 2007, the majority of continued claimants were in the following industries: manufacturing (15.7%), trade (14.7%), construction (14.1%), and administrative and waste services (9.7%). These four industries comprised 54.1 percent of continued claimants in 2007. In 2009, these same four industries comprised 59.9 percent of all continued claimants, with manufacturing at 19.3 percent, construction at 16.5 percent, trade at 15.1 percent, and administrative and waste services at 9.0 percent. In 2016, the share of these four industries declined to 47.1 percent of all continued claimants.

Learn more about Oregon's unemployed population in the full article "Behind the Aggregate Statistics: A Closer Look at the Characteristics of Oregon's Unemployed" written by local area unemployment statistics coordinator Tracy Morrissette.