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OLYMPIA – After eight straight months of job growth, employment dipped in Washington on a seasonally adjusted basis by an estimated 600 jobs in September, according to economists with the state Employment Security Department. 

At the same time, the preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 5.7 percent.  The U.S. unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in September.

“While job growth has moderated a bit since the beginning of the summer, Washington is still on pace to deliver the best overall job growth since 2005,”said Paul Turek, an economist with the department. 

During the one-year period ending in September, the department estimates that employers created nearly 76,000 jobs statewide. This includes a gain of 68,600 private-sector and 7,300 government jobs. 

Industry sectors with the largest employment gains in September were construction, up 2,900 jobs; retail trade, up 2,000; government, up 2,000; and financial activities, up 1,800.  Wholesale trade and information also were up 200 and 100 respectively.   

The biggest loss in September was in leisure and hospitality, which shed an estimated 4,800 jobs. Other sectors reporting losses were education and health services, down 3,500; transportation, warehousing and utilities, down 1,000; and other services, down 300. 

An estimated 198,300 people (seasonally adjusted) in Washington were unemployed and looking for work in September, and 57,621of them received unemployment benefits.

August’s preliminary estimated loss of 1,500 jobs was revised to a gain of 3,700 jobs.

Unemployed workers can inquire about employment opportunities that are available through their local WorkSource career centers.

WorkSource is a statewide partnership of state, local and nonprofit agencies that deliver a wide array of employment and training services, including free help with interviewing skills, résumés, and job referrals.

Locations of local WorkSource offices are listed online at www.go2worksource.com. 

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Web links

• Monthly employment report
  
• Labor-market information website
  
• State and local trends and projections
  
• Three-month comparisons, county-to-county (Excel spreadsheet) ~ click “Current estimates” under “Not seasonally adjusted” on the right
  
• Historical data (Excel spreadsheet) ~ click “Historical estimates” under “Seasonally adjusted” on the right
  
• Employment Security website

Broadcast version

Washington’s unemployment rate inched up one-tenth of a percentage point to 5.7 percent in September. 

Economists for the Employment Security Department say that while job growth has moderated since the beginning of the summer, Washington is still on pace to deliver the best overall job growth since 2005.

Over the year, Washington employers have created nearly 76,000 jobs statewide.

For people who are looking for work, nearly 48-thousand job openings in Washington are posted on-line at go2worksource-dot-com.

Free employment assistance also is available at local WorkSource offices.

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