Unemployment in Central Oregon continued to decline in March, coming closer to record low levels set before the pandemic, according to the Oregon Employment Department’s monthly report.

In Deschutes County, the unemployment level fell to 3.6% in March, down from 3.8% in February and edged closer to the record level low level of 3.3% set before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down businesses and sent workers to unemployment lines, according to the Oregon Employment Department.

The county recorded an additional 660 jobs in March, higher than normal for this time of year, according the Oregon Employment Department report. Overall employment in Deschutes County has grown by 5.2% since March 2021, according to the report.

In Jefferson County, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 4.6% in March, down from 4.8% in February and is fast approaching the March 2020 levels when it was 4.1%, according to the report.

The county made modest gains in local government jobs and in retail and leisure and hospitality industries. A slower recovery is being reported in Jefferson County, which added just 10 jobs in the past year, a 0.2% increase over other parts of the state.

Significant change occurred in the March unemployment rates in Crook County, which saw the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate drop to 4.9%from 5.2% in February. The unemployment rate is fast approaching the record low rate of 4.4% set in March 2020, according to the report.

The county added 110 jobs in Marching, stronger gains than is typical at this time of year, the report said. In add, the county added 400 jobs last year, a 6.6% increase mostly in the construction industry.