Wash. added jobs in June

June continued the steady beat of job growth in Washington, with an estimated gain of 10,200 jobs, seasonally adjusted, according to the state’s Employment Security Department. During the same period, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged, at an estimated 8.3 percent.

“We’re gradually building momentum on the job front,” said Mark Berreth, a labor economist with Employment Security. “We’ve now regained more than half the number of jobs we lost during the recession.”

From the employment peak in February 2008 to the low point in February 2010, the state lost approximately 205,000 jobs. With June’s job gains, Washington has regained an estimated 111,400 jobs since February 2010, including a gain of about 123,600 private-sector jobs and the loss of 12,200 public-sector jobs.

Industry sectors that added the most jobs in June were professional and business services, up an estimated 5,000 jobs; manufacturing, which gained 3,600; leisure and hospitality, up 2,000; retail trade, up 1,700; wholesale trade, up 1,500; transportation, warehousing and utilities, up 800; and information, which added 500 jobs. Industries that lost jobs included education and health services, down an estimated 2,500 jobs; government, which lost another 1,800 jobs; financial activities, down 600; and construction, down 300. Within the government sector, federal employment in Washington dropped by 500 jobs, state agencies lost an estimated 1,100 jobs, public higher education added 300 jobs, local government lost 600 jobs, and K-12 schools gained about 100 jobs.

In June, an estimated 293,200 people (seasonally adjusted) in Washington were unemployed and looking for work. That includes 144,855 who claimed unemployment benefits last month. Also in June, 4,584 unemployed workers ran out of unemployment benefits, bringing the total to 101,028 since extended benefits were activated in July 2008.

 

WASHINGTON STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DEPARTMENT