Oregon shed jobs in August; jobless rate tops 4%

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Oregon's unemployment rate has topped 4% for the first time in months.

The state Employment Department said Tuesday the jobless rate for August was 4.1%, up from 3.8% a month earlier. Leisure and hospitality and government were the hardest-hit industries, with both shedding more than 3,000 jobs.

Overall, the state lost 9,500 jobs in August - the first decline since January. Despite the weak report, the unemployment rate is nearly a full percentage point lower than it was at this time last year.

Another unemployment measure, known as U-6, was at 8 percent in August - up from 7.7% in July. The figure includes discouraged workers who stopped looking as well as part-time workers who want but can't get full-time jobs.