Employers in Clark County added a net 1,300 jobs in the 12 months through January, the state Employment Security Department reported Tuesday.
In the private sector, employers added 1,800 jobs between January 2011 and 2012. Public sector employers, however, cut 500 jobs — a continuing drag on the local economy that left a net gain of 1,300 jobs year over year.
The county’s unemployment rate in January — a preliminary 9 percent — likely faces an upward revision to account for unemployed Clark County residents who previously worked in Oregon. That preliminary jobless rate compares with a revised 13.9 percent unemployment rate in January 2011.
The county’s private sector gains were concentrated in manufacturing, which added 500 jobs, and education and health services, which also increased payrolls by 500 jobs.
