Washington’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to an estimated 9.3 percent in September, up from a revised rate of 9 percent in August.
According to the state Employment Security Department, Washington lost an estimated 16,000 non-agricultural jobs in September, seasonally adjusted, after an estimated loss of nearly 12,000 jobs in August.
Caitlin Cormier with the state Employment Security Department says the latest numbers were not altogether unexpected.
Caitlin Cormier with the state Employment Security Department comments
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Industries that lost jobs the most jobs last month were government, which cut 7,100 jobs, mostly in K-12; manufacturing, down 2,700; and construction, which lost 2,300 jobs. Industries that added jobs in September include retail trade, with 300 new jobs; transportation, warehousing and utilities, up 100; and information, also up 100.
Year over year, Washington had 131,000 fewer jobs last month than in September 2008 – a 4.4 percent decrease. An estimated 312,600 people in Washington were unemployed and looking for work in September.
Asotin County reported 8.1 percent unemployment in September; Garfield County 5.4 percent and Whitman County reported the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 4.7 percent.
