The Oregon Employment Department tells us people are quitting their jobs at record rates, and that number continues to rise. Keep in mind that Blacks are always in the worse position of stats when in comes to jobs and job opportunities. However, with the amount of current job openings in Oregon, economists say people have more choices compared to what was available in 2020. The economist said there are two factors that might be keeping people out of the workforce right now:
- concerns around the pandemic &
- high household incomes statewide, which could influence those living with another earner.
This economist are usually referring to whites when making these types of statements. Gail Krumenauer, economist with the Oregon Employment Department says, “This was the fifth month in a row that we’ve seen a significant decline in Oregon’s unemployment rate as more people continue to find work.” She said the state has recovered 74% of the jobs lost to the pandemic, compared to 81% nationally.
The decline in government jobs was caused by schools hiring fewer workers than they usually do at the start of the academic year, according to the employment department. Blacks often find themselves in government jobs due to the history of government addressing racism while the private sector lagged during the civil rights era. Construction employment fell, as well. This is one of the reasons more Blacks should pay more attention to the I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project and Raimore Construction. Oregon’s average, hourly, private-sector wage was $30.74 last month, the equivalent of $64,000 annually for a full-time worker. The economist believe that while higher wages are always welcome, the worker shortage is constraining the economic rebound by limiting production. That, in turn, pushes up inflation as businesses and consumers vie for scarce products.
