Labor Costs

Wages by Industry

 

For 2011, five industries of the local, private sector economy accounted for over eighty percent of the covered wages paid out in the County:  education & health services; trade, transportation, & utilities; manufacturing; construction; and, professional & business services.  In terms average pay per job, the top five sectors of  the local economy are manufacturing; education & health services; construction; financial activity and, virtually tied for fifth, professional & business services and information.

Distribution of Business and Employment  – Private Sector – Union County – Covered Wages 2011

In the public sector, federal and state average wage per job is higher than that of the private sector while average pay per job in local government is on a par with that of the private sector.

Distribution of Businesses and Employment in Union County Economy Table

Comparing local industries average wage per job with the average for the State of Oregon shows that for the most part local wages are below the average of industries statewide.

 

UNION COUNTY LOCAL INDUSTRIES  — ANNUAL AVERAGE COVERED PAYROLL 2011 — AVERAGE PAY
Industry – Sub-Sector Type Payroll Employed  Average Pay  State Average % of State
Federal Natural Resources & Mining Gov’t 8,711,648 143            60,921          59,797 101.9
State-Construction Gov’t 7,676,667 135            56,864           51,903 109.6
Wood Products Manufacturing Private 24,244,727 491            49,378           41,919 117.8
Ambulatory Health Care Services Private 17,509,349 369            47,451           57,905 81.9
State-Public Administration Gov’t 8,450,796 183            46,179           51,447 89.8
Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers Private 7,337,406 194            37,822           40,767 92.8
State-Education & Health Services Gov’t 24,574,400 659            37,290           35,731 104.4
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing Private 13,613,751 399            34,120           54,509 62.6
Local-Public Administration Gov’t 12,980,689 388            33,455           51,824 64.6
Construction-Specialty Trade Contractors Private 5,955,184 193            30,856           46,116 66.9
Local-Education & Health Services Gov’t 18,185,222 605            30,058           41,188 73.0
General Merchandise Private 7,922,147 347            22,830           24,198 94.3
Food & Beverage Stores Private 5,613,312 284            19,765           22,608 87.4
Nursing & Residential Care Facilities Private 7,829,337 369            18,336           23,502 78.0
Food Service & Drinking Places Private 8,227,774 714            11,589           15,832 73.2
Source:  Oregon Employment Department

For additional information on wages paid by industry sector, see Covered Employment 2011 Union County Summary Report

Wages Paid by Size of Firm

 

Looking at the latest data available on wages paid by size of firm, shows that the larger the firm, the higher the average wage per job.

Average Pay by Size of Firm – Q1 2011  Union County
Size Class No. of Employees Total Payroll (000) Average Pay for Q1 2011 Est. Average Pay for 2011
0 0 $270
1-4 821 $4,774 $5,815 $23,260
5-9 1,135 $6,249 $5,506 $22,024
10-19 1,261 $7,682 $6,092 $24,368
20-49 1,372 $9,688 $7,061 $28,244
50-99 787 $5,672 $7,207 $28,828
100+ 1,540 $14,909 $9,681 $38,724
Source:  Oregon Employment Department Q1 2011 Data

 

Wages by Profession

 

Comparison of local average wages paid by occupation with those of metro counties in Oregon and with the statewide average wages for these occupations show Union County occupational wages are, for the most part, significantly less than either those in a comparison metro region and those averaged statewide.  The exceptions are generally the higher skilled, experienced positions.

Occupation Mean Hourly  Wage Region 13*, Region 2**, and State of Oregon – Selected Occupations
2011 Mean Hourly Wage
Region 13 Region 2 Region 13 % State of  Region 13 %
Oregon
Management Occupations 
General and Operations Managers 37.51 55.03 68% 49.73 75%
Administrative Services Mangers 27.77 37.83 73% 35.16 79%
Computer and Information Systems Managers 40.98 56.53 72% 53.75 76%
Industrial Production Managers 39.45 47.43 83% 44.68 88%
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers 32.66 42.70 76% 40.28 81%
Construction Managers 45.30 43.92 103% 40.96 111%
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations 
Supervisors and Managers of Landscaping and Grounds keeping Workers 28.89 24.52 118% 24.07 120%
Janitors and Cleaners 12.47 12.24 102% 12.21 102%
Landscaping and Grounds keeping Workers 13.31 14.28 93% 13.30 100%
Office and Administrative Support Occupations 
Supervisors and Managers of Office and Administrative Support Workers 19.64 25.48 77% 23.61 83%
Billing and Posting Clerks 16.02 17.21 93% 16.49 97%
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 14.50 18.27 79% 17.31 84%
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks 16.25 19.44 84% 18.62 87%
Customer Service Representatives 13.98 17.08 82% 15.92 88%
Receptionists and Information Clerks 11.94 13.61 88% 12.83 93%
Stock Clerks and Order Fillers 11.36 13.56 84% 12.88 88%
Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants 17.78 22.80 78% 21.99 81%
Office Clerks, General 13.29 15.23 87% 14.70 90%
Construction and Extraction Occupations 
   Supervisors and Managers of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers 27.99 31.72 88% 31.19 90%
   Carpenters 16.20 22.77 71% 21.11 77%
   Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators 19.01 26.39 72% 24.36 78%
   Electricians 28.63 34.23 84% 31.22 92%
   Painters, Construction and Maintenance 14.44 17.30 83% 16.22 89%
   Construction and Building Inspectors 24.68 29.94 82% 28.73 86%
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations 
   Supervisors and Managers of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers 29.98 30.80 97% 29.82 101%
   Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, except Line Installers 27.26 28.22 97% 26.78 102%
   Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics 14.83 20.69 72% 19.59 76%
   Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists 21.35 22.91 93% 21.04 101%
   Mobile heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines 26.75 22.84 117% 22.33 120%
   Maintenance Workers, General 13.72 18.86 73% 17.72 77%
   Maintenance Workers, Machinery 25.08 22.48 112% 19.79 127%
Production Occupations 
   Supervisors and Managers of Production and Operating Workers 29.54 26.63 111% 26.01 114%
   Assemblers, Multi-task or Team 13.16 15.34 86% 14.52 91%
   Machinists 19.19 20.75 92% 20.61 93%
   Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 16.11 18.33 88% 17.71 91%
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations 
   Supervisors and Managers of Transportation and
                                         Material Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators 24.37 30.00 81% 20.88 117%
   Driver/Sales Workers 11.95 15.19 79% 14.95 80%
   Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor-trailer 17.29 20.00 86% 18.88 92%
   Fork Lift, Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 14.44 16.89 85% 16.01 90%
   Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 14.77 13.42 110% 13.34 111%
   Packers and Packagers, Hand 10.31 11.12 93% 10.66 97%
   Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors 16.45 20.56 80% 19.71 83%
* Union, Baker, and Wallowa Counties, Oregon
**Multnomah and Washington Counties, Oregon
Source:  Oregon Employment Department 2011 Oregon Wage Information

 

 

2011 Wage Information Statewide & Regional

Unemployment Insurance

The Oregon unemployment insurance program provides unemployment benefits to qualified, unemployed workers.  The Oregon unemployment insurance program is funded by Oregon employers.

Taxpaying Employers – Private, subject employers pay a quarterly tax (annually for domestic employers) directly to the State of Oregon.

Reimbursing Employers – State and federal subject employers must reimburse (pay back) the state for benefits paid to former employees.

Local governments or non-profit private sector employers (exempt under Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3)) may choose either to pay the tax or reimburse the state for benefits paid.

Taxes collected are deposited in a trust fund used to pay unemployment insurance benefits. The money to administer the unemployment insurance program comes from a federal tax, created by the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA). This federal tax is assessed against all private employers and is paid to the Internal Revenue Service.

For the year 2012, the tax rates for Tax Schedule VIII are as follows:

Taxable minimum rate: 2.2%
Taxable maximum rate: 5.4%
Taxable base tax rate: 3.3% (new employer rate)
Special payroll tax offset: 0.09% (0.0009) for all quarters

Information on Oregon’s unemployment insurance program and tax can be obtained at the website of the State of Oregon Employment Department Tax Unit 

Workers Compensation

By law, Oregon employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance or be self-insured. Workers’ compensation insurance protects workers by paying for medical treatment and lost wages and protects employers by shielding them from liability lawsuits that might result from work-related injuries or illnesses.

Employers pay premiums to workers’ compensation insurance companies, and those premiums finance most of the benefits received by workers if they are injured or suffer an occupational disease on the job. The legislature makes laws determining the level of benefits and who qualifies for benefits. The Department of Consumer and Business Services carries out policy for the governor, regulating Oregon’s workers’ compensation system, making certain that employers provide insurance, and ensuring that injured or ill workers receive the benefits due them.

Information on Oregon’s worker’s compensation can be obtained at the website of the State of Oregon Worker’s Compensation Division (WCD)