Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon’s unemployment rate is at an all-time high.  Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

The jobless rate jumped to 12.1 percent in March.  The Oregon Employment Department says the rate did reach the same level in 1982, but has never been higher -- even when considering historical records dating back to shortly after World War II. 

Art Ayre

State employment economist Art Ayre says it’s additionally painful because the national average stands at 8.5 percent.

Art Ayre: “Comparing our 12.1 percent to the nation’s 8.5 percent. We are 3.6 percentage points higher than the nation. That’s the largest difference between Oregon and the nation that we’ve seen since the consistent series began in 1976. And it achieved that very high level very, very rapidly.”

Three times as many Oregonians are receiving unemployment benefits now as compared to this time last year.

The only sector to add any jobs in March was the government.