Clark County added jobs, lowered unemployment rate in August

Unemployment was down in August, as Clark County’s job growth steadily continued, according to the state Employment Security Department’s monthly report.

The county added 300 jobs, seasonally adjusted, last month, and unemployment was down to 6.5 percent. In July, the county’s unemployment rate was at 6.8 percent. The unemployment rate in August 2015 was 6.2 percent.

“We continue to see strong job growth in the county, and very diversified job growth, meaning it’s pretty much across all industries,” said Scott Bailey, regional economist at the state Employment Security Department. “That’s been the pattern for about a year or so now.”

In August, private sector employment grew by 900 jobs, with all major sectors seeing job growth in Clark County except for information services. Leisure and hospitality added the most, with more than 500 jobs in August, and construction was next up with more than 300.

Over the last year, construction and mining has added 1,400-plus jobs, professional and business services have added more than 1,600 jobs, financial services has grown by more than 600 jobs.

Clark County job growth over this year is around 6,600 jobs, or 4.4 percent, so far. Comparatively, Washington state is at 3 percent, Oregon is at 3.3 percent, the Portland metro area is at 2.8 percent and the United States is at 1.7 percent.

The county started outpacing Portland, Washington, Oregon and the country in early 2013, and has kept it up since then, Bailey said.

Layoffs related to the summer break in the school year totaled 1,600 jobs, Bailey said, as districts’ classified staff members are let go.

“It’s pretty typical,” he said. “It happens every year and, magically, they come back in the fall.”