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(Central Square) – Washington state’s economy gained about 2,900 nonfarm payroll jobs in August after a contraction in July, the state Department of Employment Services said Wednesday.
Updated figures showed the state lost 6,300 jobs in July after reporting a gain of 13,100 jobs in June. At the time, ESD State Economist Paul Turek said there were general signs of a cooling labor market, with the July numbers combined with a decline in total jobs from the first quarter of 2023.
“Job growth resumed in August after a contraction in July,” Turek said in the monthly report on Wednesday. But, he added, “the modest increase continues a pattern of job growth moving at a much slower pace than the significant job gains of the past two years. years”.
Still, the state’s seasonally adjusted employment rate was 3.6% in August, below the national rate of 3.8%. The unemployment rate was even lower — an estimated 3.2 percent — in the Puget Sound neighborhoods of Seattle, Bellevue and Everett.
However, unemployment numbers varied among Washington’s 39 counties, with unemployment rates higher in rural areas. Ferry County had the highest unemployment rate in July at 6%, followed by Wakiakum County at 5.2%, Pacific County at 4.7%, Grays Harbor County at 4.6%, Mason County at 4.3% and Pend Oreille, 4.2% in Kittitas County, and 4.1% in Clallam, Lewis and Stevens Counties.
The numbers are based on preliminary estimates from the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics and may be revised in the future as more data becomes available.
In August, the ESD paid unemployment benefits to 56,935 people, which is 1,763 more than in July. In particular, more claims were paid in agriculture and the sphere of health care and social assistance, the department noted.
The labor force of the state in August was estimated at 4,067,300 people. The labor force is defined as the total number of people over the age of 16, both employed and unemployed.
Overall, seven industries expanded and six contracted in Washington last month, with the largest growth seen in the private sector. ESD cited these key increases and decreases:
The number of people employed in the industry increased by 2,800, primarily due to the creation of 500 jobs in the production of transport equipment. Leisure and hospitality jobs increased by 1,300, with 600 jobs in arts, entertainment and recreation. The number of people employed in other service sectors as a whole increased by 1,100, and 700 jobs were added. in personal services and laundry services. Employment in retail trade as a whole fell by 1,000, with 1,600 jobs lost in other trades. Employment in professional and business services fell by 2,700, with 2,400 jobs lost in employment services.
From August 2022 to last month, the number of people employed in Washington increased by 55,200. Again, the private sector gained the most jobs at 46,600, while the public sector added about 8,600 jobs last year, according to Employment Security.
Industry sectors showing the largest year-over-year employment gains, adjusted for seasonality, are: education and health services, up 22,400 jobs; recreation and hospitality, up to 18,700 jobs; and government, up to 8,600 jobs.
In contrast, the industry sectors with the largest year-over-year job losses, regardless of season, are: Information – 8,900 jobs; professional and business services, cutting 6,400 jobs; and retail trade, down 3,200 jobs.
