Washingtons preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged in June at 6.1 percent, Employment Security Commissioner Sylvia P. Mundy announced Tuesday. The comparable national rate remained constant at 5.6 percent, while the states non-adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly to 6.1 percent, one-tenth of a percentage point over the May revised rate.
The Washington state economy has leveled off, following the national trend, Mundy said. Both total labor force and employment grew, but so did the number of unemployed, suggesting that there were increases in new entrants to the job market. Discouraged workers are re-entering the job market in response to last months good economic news, Mundy added. Additionally, this years college graduates have started looking for work. Employment growth is not strong enough to account for all the new entrants.
As a positive economic indicator, industry employment in the state has grown each month since the beginning of the year and even stronger in recent months. Growth rates in May and June were 11.8 percent and 9.6 percent respectively, while, the over-the-year growth rate was 2.0 percent.
Washingtons nonagricultural wage and salary employment showed a net increase of 21,700 jobs over the month. Most job gains were usual for this time of year, with leisure and hospitality increasing by 6,900, construction was up 3,700, retail trade gaining 3,300, and professional and business services adding 3,000 jobs. Education services declined by 3,400 due to the start of summer break.
Other industries with notable month-to-month employment increases include manufacturing (1,600), the information sector (1,400), transportation, warehousing and utilities (1,100), and wholesale trade (800). The Government sector rose a scant 500, driven by increases at the federal and local levels, but offset by declines at the state level.
When compared to last year, nonagricultural wage and salary jobs increased by 54,200 with the bell-weather manufacturing industry showing a loss of 7,200. Over the year, the strongest job gains were in professional and business services (13,300), construction (8,700), and retail trade (7,300).
TACOMA LABOR ECONOMY
The unemployment rate for the Tacoma Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (Pierce County) was 6.8 percent in June. The rate is 0.7 point above the statewide level, and 1.2 points above the comparable (not seasonally adjusted) U.S. rate of 5.6 percent. Local manufacturing employment remained essentially flat over the year. Tacomas labor economy shows steady, not dramatic, growth over the year. Construction employment is positive, and together with the services providing industries, is responsible for the positive pattern in local employment.
