The state’s unemployment rate fell to 9.1 percent in September even as the state shed more than 18,000 jobs last month, according to preliminary data released Wednesday by the state Employment Secuirty Department.
Once the September data has been revised, Employment Security officials expect it will show that the state didn’t lose as many jobs.
“We probably lost some jobs, but not as many as the preliminary data suggest,” said Greg Weeks, director of Employment Security’s Office of Labor Market & Economic Analysis.
Meanwhile, Washington’s jobless rate fell to 9.1 percent from 9.3 percent in August. The state also shed 18,400 jobs last month. Government led the way with 10,800 job losses, followed by leisure and hospitality, construction and information. Each of those sectors shed 1,100 or more jobs. Aerospace added the most jobs last month with 1,000, followed by manufacturing, education and health services.
County jobless data will be released Tuesday. In August, Thurston County had a jobless rate of 8.3 percent and Pierce County’s unemployment rate was 9.9 percent. The national unemployment rate also was 9.1 percent in September.
Over the past 12 months, the state’s economy gained a net 27,300 jobs; the private sector added 44,600 jobs, but that was offset by a loss of 17,300 government jobs.
The state estimated 317,594 people in Washington were unemployed and seeking work in September. Nearly 203,000 received $229 million in jobless benefits.
As of Oct. 8, 62,229 Washington workers had exhausted all unemployment benefits, officials said.
Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403 rboone@theolympian.com
The Seattle Times contributed to this report.
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