Oregon Public Broadcasting

The state of Oregon says the number of people making new unemployment benefit claims, declined for two consecutive weeks in January. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

The number of people with new jobless benefit claims usually jumps in January -- because people who worked retail over Christmas get laid-off -- and agricultural harvests have largely ended.

But Employment Department spokesman, Tom Fuller, says 1300 fewer people claimed new benefits in the week ending January 23rd than the week before.

Tom Fuller: "We have seen continued decreases in initial claims. At the same time we've seen some increases in sectors of the economy like manufacturing. Put together this might be a sign that the economy is really tracking along with what Tom Potiowsky, the state economist's forecast was:  slowing of the declines and then the beginning of growth in the second or third quarter of this year."

Fuller says telephone wait times at state job centers have also dropped over the last year, from an average 40 minutes, to about 10 minutes.