State unemployment rate dips slightly in November
December 23, 2009 · Updated 9:10 AM
Washington’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate inched down to 9.2 percent in November, a slight improvement from the 9.3 percent rate in October, according to the state Employment Security Department.
The state lost an estimated 4,800 non-agricultural jobs in November, seasonally adjusted. Estimated job losses for October had earlier been reported as 5,100, but that number was revised downward to 4,800 after more analysis.
Year over year, Washington had 125,600 fewer jobs last month than in November 2008, a 4.3 percent decrease. Nationally, employment declined by 3.5 percent over the past year.
Construction was the industry with the steepest decline in November, down about 4,300 jobs. Other industries that showed job losses in November were leisure and hospitality, down 2,000; retail trade, down 900; information, down 800; wholesale trade, down 600; and government, down 500.
November marked the first month in 2009 that the manufacturing industry added jobs, up 1,100. Other industries that saw gains in November were professional & business services, up 2,800; and education and health services, up 900.
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