Submitted by Washington Employment Security Department.
Washington’s economy added 4,100 jobs in June and the state’s seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate for June was 4.7 percent according to the Employment Security Department. The June unemployment rate was unchanged from May 2018 unemployment rate of 4.7 percent.
“Payroll growth slowed a bit in June compared with last May,” said Paul Turek, economist for the department. “What’s positive is that the consecutive string of jobs added per month continues and is scheduled to reach six years next month.
The Employment Security Department released the preliminary job estimates from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics as part of its Monthly Employment Report. The department also announced that May’s previously reported unemployment rate of 4.8 percent was slightly lower at 4.7 percent. Job gains in May were revised upward from 8,500 to 8,700 jobs.
The national unemployment rate was at 4.0 percent in June. In June 2017 last year, the national unemployment rate was 4.3 percent.
Employment Security paid unemployment insurance benefits to 45,868 people in June.
State’s labor force is little changed from last month, dips in Seattle area
The state’s labor force in June was 3,760,500 – an increase of 100 people from the previous month. However, in the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region, the labor force decreased by 2,600 over the same period.
From June 2017 through June 2018, the state’s labor force grew by 38,800 and the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region increased by 36,300.
The labor force is the total number of people, both employed and unemployed, over the age of 16.
Nine sectors expand and four contract
Private sector employment increased by 4,800 while the public sector lost 700 jobs in June.
This month’s report shows the greatest private job growth occurred in professional & business services up 3,800, information up 1,000, and transportation, warehousing & utilities up 900. Other sectors adding jobs were education & health services up 600, wholesale trade and manufacturing both up 300, retail trade and leisure & hospitality both up 200, and other services up 100.
Construction experienced the biggest reduction in June losing 2,200 jobs while government lost 700 jobs, financial activities lost 300 jobs and mining & logging lost 100 jobs.
Year-over-year growth is strong
Washington added an estimated 83,500 new jobs from June 2017 through June 2018, not seasonally adjusted. The private sector grew by 2.9 percent, up an estimated 80,500 jobs, and the public sector increased by 0.5 percent, adding 3,000 jobs.
From June 2017 through June 2018, all thirteen industry sectors added jobs.
The three industry sectors with the largest employment gains year-over-year, not seasonally adjusted, were:
- Professional & business services with 17,500 new jobs;
- Retail trade with 17,400 new jobs; and
- Education & health services with 13,800 new jobs.