Medford, Ore. — 52-year-old David Mayer has a daily routine at the unemployment office in Medford.
He said “I am working on my resume so I can get back into the work industry.”
He and nearly 140,000 other Oregonians are struggling to find a job but form Meyer it’s more than just not having a paycheck.
“I have a daughter dying from kidney failure and I lose a lot jobs because of that,” Meyer said.
But new numbers out Tuesday show a positive turn in the Oregon job market.
Regional Economy Guy Tauer said “we are finally participating in the recovery more than we have been in the past few years.”
The Federal Bureau of Labor statistics shows Oregon’s job base expanded 2.4% or by about 39,000 new jobs in 2013. That makes the beaver state 3rd in the nation for growth. The news is even better in Jackson County.
Tauer said “Jackson County is actually doing a little better than statewide over the past year.”
Construction, retail trade, healthcare, and food services saw the most growth in Oregon according to Tauer and this year is expected to be even better.
Tauer said “most signs are pointing to positive news for 2014.”
Movement in the right direction for David Mayer and the rest of the Oregonians working just to find work.
“I am doing what I have to do to get a job. Just like everyone else is,” says Mayer.
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