March 2019 HRACO Chapter Meeting

Presentation: Are We Going to See the Labor Market Loosen In 2019?

Employment continues to rise and unemployment levels remain at or near historically low levels. Yet, at the same time we are beginning to see signs that hiring demand is lowering and we are also seeing the labor supply expand. Human resource professionals are on the frontline of the labor market. Damon Runberg will join us this month to review the employment landscape in Central Oregon. Those who attend will have a better idea of what recent trends mean for us in 2019, as well as a more long-term forecast for Central Oregon as we move into a new decade.

Speaker: Damon Runberg, Regional Economist, Oregon Employment Dept.

Damon Runberg is a state Economist with the Oregon Employment Department covering Central Oregon, the Klamath Basin, and the Columbia River Gorge. He calculates the monthly employment and unemployment estimates for the area’s counties; additionally, Damon tracks various economic indicators critical to the region’s economy. He writes prolifically and regularly gives presentations on the state of the local economy.

Damon received his Master of Public Policy from Oregon State University (Corvallis) where he specialized in econometric analysis and natural resource economics. Before that he received his undergraduate from Gonzaga University.