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Media contact: Sheryl Hutchison, communications director, 360-902-9289

OLYMPIA - The state Employment Security Department launched a new website today that will make it easier to find information about the economy and the job market. 

The new website, esd.wa.gov/employmentdata, replaces the former WorkforceExplorer.com. 

“We’ve retained the rich data and information from the old site, but packaged it in a way that is much easier to find and understand,” said Greg Weeks, director of Employment Security’s labor-market information office.  “Our goal was to make the site more relevant and useful for job seekers and employers, and not just a resource for economists.”

Job seekers can use information from the site to plan their careers, and employers can use it to research wages, identify business trends and prepare business plans. The new website offers front-page access to statewide and local unemployment rates and jobs numbers, along with a wide array of reports and data tools. 

One tool featured on the site shows which occupations currently have the most job opportunities, what they pay and the type of training that’s required.  And for the first time, the site allows users to research green-jobs information.

The new website is located at www.esd.wa.gov/employmentdata.

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Broadcast version

The state Employment Security Department has launched a new website that makes it easier to find information about the economy and the job market. 

The new site offers front-page access to current unemployment and job numbers – for the entire state and local counties.   Job seekers can learn which occupations have more job opportunities and what they pay -- and employers can find information to help them with hiring decisions and business planning.

Visit ESD.WA.GOV to link to the new employment and economic information website.