Statewide unemployment remains flat at 9.0 percent
By Seattle Business Magazine October 20, 2010
The private sector added 1,000 jobs in September while 4,200 government jobs were lost, according to a report released yesterday by the Washington State Employment Security Department.
The statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remains at 9.0 percent (the unemployment rate for August, estimated last month at 8.9, was adjusted to 9.0 this month).
The report also notes that this was the first month in which census job losses did not make up the majority of government job losses. Census jobs were down by 1,362, leaving only 173 positions.
The picture looks about the same as it did last month, with unemployment remaining about the same and a modest increase in private sector jobs.
Industries showing the most job growth this month were: wholesale trade (+700); financial activities (+600); transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+400); information (+200); retail trade (+200); and other services (+100). Government jobs saw the biggest job loss, mainly in local (-2,500) and state (-1,000) governments. After government, professional and business services lost the most jobs (-1,000), followed by leisure and hospitality (-300 jobs) and educational and health services (-300 jobs).