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The employment situation in Oregon was unremarkable in October, and the construction industry similarly cut jobs along with seasonal expectations.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped just 0.1 point to 8.6 percent in October, while nonfarm payroll fell by 2,400 jobs, according to the most recent report from the Oregon State Employment Department. Construction companies also cut back last month by 900 positions, though a loss of 1,400 is typical.

The unemployment rate isn’t very telling considering that it has been between 8.4 percent and 8.9 percent since the beginning of the year. But October’s rate is considerably lower than the 9.3 percent rate from a year ago, and another positive piece of news is that September’s estimated job loss of 7,900 jobs was revised down to a loss of just 800.

But as Josh Lehner, an economist with the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, , a loss is a loss regardless of the size.

鈥淛ob losses are still job losses and it is not good news,鈥� Lehner wrote. 鈥淲e also know that withholdings out of wages and salaries were weak in September, which is indicative of employment weakness, although both employment and wages are certainly up on a year-ago basis.鈥�

Within the construction industry, the largest loss came once again from specialty trade contractors (down 800 jobs). Residential building was down 600 jobs, and heavy and civil engineering contractors lost 200 jobs. Non-residential building, meanwhile, was up by 1,100 jobs.

Other industries that took a hit in October were leisure and hospitality (down 6,800) and manufacturing (down 2,300); however, several industries such as educational and health services and government added jobs at a level below expected seasonal gains.

Lehner reported that Oregon’s growth rate is in keeping with, if not better than, most other states in the country. Year-over-year gains for withholdings have grown approximately 2 percent to 3 percent in the past few months, while many states are seeing zero to 1 percent growth.