Oregon Jobless Data Still Delayed as Unemployment Claims Rise 20% in 2025

The monthly non-farm job estimates and unemployment rate are still not available beyond August 2025, according to a news release from the Oregon Employment Department (OED).

The OED reports that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has resumed the production of monthly employment reports on a delayed schedule following the federal government shutdown.

However, the data collection period for November 2025 has been extended for both the Employment and Household surveys, with additional processing time.

Preliminary estimates for August reveal that Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.0%, and that employers added 6,900 jobs to non-farm payrolls.

Oregon Averages 33,600 Unemployment Insurance Claims Weekly

However, the state averaged 33,600 unemployment insurance claims per week in 2025, which is 5,600, or 20% higher, than the average during the same time period in 2024.

First-time or initial UI claims in recent weeks were within the typical range for this time of year. Ongoing or continued claims have followed seasonal trends, but levels have elevated in recent years.

The latest quarterly job vacancy survey results show that hiring demand remained stable over the past year, but did not increase as much as would typically occur mid-year. Private employers in Oregon reported between 50,000 and 54,000 job vacancies at any given time from October 2024 to September 2025.

The lack of current, principal monthly indicators dictates that the Oregon Employment Department’s Workforce and Economic Research Division will continue to track trends in other data sources to assess the labor market . This includes job vacancies and unemployment insurance claims.