Note: A Spanish version of this press release is attached.
Se adjunta una versión en español del comunicado de prensa.
SALEM – Paid Leave Oregon released new data this week, and some helpful tips for Oregonians who plan to file a claim.
The data through Sept. 17, which is on the Oregon Employment Department’s dashboard, shows about 19,000 people have applied for benefits since Aug. 14. This number is lower than the forecasted 41,000 applications the program expected to have within the first month of applications being open. So far, more than 5,800 applications have been approved and about $2.3 million in benefits have been paid. Benefit payments started going out to Oregon workers with approved claims on Sept. 13.
Paid Leave Oregon Director Karen Humelbaugh said there are a few things people can do to speed up their claim process. After submitting an application, employees should check their Frances Online account regularly and respond to any alerts or notifications. The program cannot approve benefits until it receives a complete application, which includes the correct supporting documents.
“When you don’t attach the correct supporting documents we need to approve your specific type of leave, it takes longer to process your claim,” Humelbaugh said. “Please use Paid Leave’s official forms whenever possible and make sure to use our employee toolkit to see what official documents you need to have ready.”
Employers also need to go into their Frances account and respond to their part of an employee’s benefits request. An employer’s timely response makes sure the program can process an employee’s benefits application quickly and accurately.
Paid Leave Oregon covers paid family leave, medical leave, and safe leave for working Oregonians. Employees can apply through Frances Online for the following reasons:
Detailed information for employees, including eligibility requirements, tutorial videos, a benefits calculator, and much more, is on the Paid Leave website at paidleave.oregon.gov.
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The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. Everyone has a right to use OED programs and services. OED provides free help. Some examples are sign language and spoken language interpreters, written materials in other languages, braille, large print, audio and other formats. If you need help, please call 971-673-6400. TTY users call 711. You can also ask for help at OED_Communications@employ.oregon.gov.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 13, 2023
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Gail Krumenauer, State Employment Economist
(971) 301-3771
Video and Audio available at 10 a.m.
David Cooke, Economist (971) 375-5288
Oregon’s unemployment rate stayed at 3.4% in August, the same as July. This tied Oregon’s record low of 3.4%, which also was reached in November and December 2019. Since May, Oregon’s unemployment rate has been below 4%. The U.S. unemployment rate rose from 3.5% in July to 3.8% in August.
In August, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment declined by 1,200 jobs, following a revised gain of 3,400 jobs in July. August’s over-the-month job losses were largest in retail trade (-1,600 jobs); construction (-1,000); and professional and business services (-800). Job gains were largest in leisure and hospitality (+2,100 jobs).
Payroll employment grew by 1.3% over the past 12 months. Over-the-year job growth decelerated to an average of about 2% in the past five months, from 12-month growth rates that were above 3% during the economic recovery period, which included much of the prior two years.
Several major industries grew rapidly over the past 12 months. Since August 2022, leisure and hospitality (+10,500 jobs, or 5.3%) continued to add jobs at a rapid clip, but is still 6,100 jobs below its prior peak reached in February 2020. Health care and social assistance (+14,000 jobs, or 5.2%) also added jobs rapidly over the past 12 months, with social assistance gaining 6,300 jobs in that time. Each of health care’s component industries added close to 2,500 jobs in that time. Government (9,400 jobs, or 3.1%) grew rapidly in that time as well, as local government recently rose above its pre-pandemic level.
Several industries have contracted in the past 12 months. Manufacturing (-4,100 jobs, or -2.1%) employs fewer workers than a year ago, as many of its durable goods manufacturing component industries have cut up to 2% of jobs in that time. Similarly, retail trade (-3,700 jobs, or -1.8%) has cut jobs recently, with most retail component industries declining slightly since August 2022. Meanwhile, after booming from 2019 through 2021, transportation, warehousing, and utilities has retraced some of those job gains, cutting 3,200 jobs, or 4.0%, in the past 12 months.
Next Press Releases
The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the August county and metropolitan area unemployment rates on Tuesday, Sept. 19, and the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for September on Wednesday, Oct. 18.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 5, 2023
Media Contact:
Communications@employ.oregon.gov
WHO: David Gerstenfeld, agency director; Karen Madden Humelbaugh, Paid Leave Oregon
director
WHEN: Thursday, 1 p.m., Sept. 7, 2023
WHAT: The Oregon Employment Department is hosting a video-conference media briefing to
share updates on the rollout of the new Paid Leave Oregon program, including information about benefits starting on Sept. 3 and the latest dashboard: https://www.oregon.gov/employ/Agency/Pages/News-and-Media.aspx
WHERE: Via Zoom video conference: Members of the media must RSVP by emailing
Communications@employ.oregon.gov by noon on Thursday, Sept. 7.
We will provide video conference login information to all reporters who RSVP. RSVPs should indicate
if the reporter wants to ask a question of the presenters. After the briefing concludes, we will email a recording of the video conference to reporters who RSVP’d.
OTHER: For updates on Paid Leave Oregon, visit paidleave.oregon.gov.
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The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is an equal opportunity agency. OED provides free help so
you can use our services. Some examples are sign language and spoken-language interpreters, written
materials in other languages, large print, audio, and other formats. To get help, please call
503-947-1444. TTY users call 711. You can also send an email to communications@employ.oregon.gov.
El Departamento de Empleo de Oregon (OED) es una agencia de igualdad de oportunidades. El OED
proporciona ayuda gratuita para que usted pueda utilizar nuestros servicios. Algunos ejemplos son
intérpretes de lengua de señas e idiomas hablados, materiales escritos en otros idiomas, letra
grande, audio y otros formatos. Para obtener ayuda, por favor llame al 503-947-1444. Usuarios de
TTY pueden llamar al 711. También puede enviar un correo electrónico a communications@employ.oregon.gov.