Portland Unemployment Rate Hike Highest In Nation

For those of you holding out hope that you may still be able to return to work soon, you may need to wait awhile longer. The latest report by the United States Department of Labor says that Portland has had the biggest jump in unemployment over the past year compared to the rest of the nation. Maybe the hardest part to grasp is that we passed Detroit this year in unemployment figures and it doesn’t appear to be getting any better. Across the entire state we went from single to double digit unemployment rates, raising concerns over the ability of the Oregon government to sustain unemployment benefits to those effected by the economy. In these troubled times it may be time to ask yourself if changing careers is a good option for you. Look at the jobs that are traditionally the safest and go for it. The economy is not likely to rebound to “Normal” levels for several more years and for many it may be too late. Sound off Oregon and let us know how you are coping with living in this economy.

• Bend: From 5.3 percent to 12.1 percent.
• Corvallis: From 6.6 percent to 15.6 percent.
• Eugene: From 5.1 percent to 13 percent.
• Medford: From 6.8 percent to 13.9 percent.
• Salem: From 5.3 percent to 11.8 percent.