Washington state jobless rate climbs slightly
Sep 20, 2012, 5:19 AM | Updated: 6:32 am
Washington's unemployment rate climbed slightly last month, rising to 8.6 percent. (AP Photo/file)
(AP Photo/file)
Washington’s unemployment rate climbed slightly last month, rising to 8.6 percent. That’s up slightly from July’s 8.5 percent mark.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports
in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett area, the unemployment rate rose to 7.7 percent in August from 7.5 percent in July.
Job losses were unusually large in the leisure, hospitality and wholesale trade sectors, according to the latest data from state Employment Security.
Numbers would have been worse but for strong job gains in construction. The construction sector added 1,900 jobs last month, continuing a trend that has added almost 4,000 construction jobs since last summer.
The BLS says an estimated 301,700 people (seasonally adjusted) are now out of a job across the state and looking for work.
Nationally, the unemployment rate is 8.1 percent.
