WA employers cut 14,500 jobs in September, unemployment rate holds at 4.5%
Dec 15, 2025, 5:35 AM
Throughout September, employers cut approximately 14,500 jobs in Washington, although the monthly unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.5%.
The private and public sectors both saw losses, though certain industries, including education and health services, transportation, warehousing and utilities, and leisure and hospitality, added jobs, the Employment Security Department (ESD) announced.
“Job growth in September disappointed for the second consecutive month, pointing to a weakening labor market,” said Paul Turek, labor economist at the ESD. “More major industries shed jobs than gained during the month, although the unemployment rate remains stable for now.”
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ESD noted that the largest one-month gains in private industry were in education and health services (up 10,300 jobs), transportation, warehousing, and utilities (up 2,100 jobs), and leisure and hospitality (up 2,000 jobs).
Unemployment benefits were paid to 59,115 people in September, down 3,259 from August. ESD stated that lower-paid claims in health care and social assistance, transportation and warehousing, and accommodation and food services contributed to the monthly decrease.
Across WA, the labor force in September increased by approximately 7,000 people compared to the month before, now at roughly 4,029,000. The Seattle, Bellevue, Everett region’s labor force decreased by approximately 3,900 people during this same time.
ESD noted that a labor force statistic is determined by the number of employed or unemployed people over the age of 16. When a person is laid off but continues to seek work, they remain a part of the labor force.
Additionally, the department stated that employment numbers were delayed due to the six-week federal government shutdown that took place between Oct. 1 and Nov. 12. October employment data was not collected during the shutdown, and the November 2025 report will be released in January 2026.
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