Oregon unemployment claims increase for fourth week in a row

MEDFORD, Ore.– Oregon is no exception to the massive unemployment numbers.

Last week, the Oregon Employment Department recorded an additional 53,800 claims for unemployment. That’s on top of another 243,000.

Areas affected the most have been hotels and restaurants but healthcare and retail have also seen high numbers.

“It’s hard to say how much we’ll continue to see these claims continue and spread to other industries,” said Guy Tauer, regional economist for Jackson County. “It really depends on the length of how long things are closed for.”

It’s estimated 1 in 7 employed Oregonians have filed for unemployment – that’s about 14 percent.

While there is a lot of uncertainty about what will happen Tauer says he feels positive about the resiliency to bounce back after this pandemic is over.