Regional News

Strong payroll hiring continues into January


Mar 06, 2019

Washington’s economy added 12,300 jobs in January and the state’s seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate for January was 4.5 percent according to the Employment Security Department. The January unemployment rate was unchanged from the revised December 2018 unemployment rate of 4.5 percent. The January figures are preliminary and are subject to revisions.

“The positive momentum in the state’s labor is being sustained for now” said Paul Turek, economist for the department. “The number of jobs added the last two months is impressive.”

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 December’s previously reported unemployment rate of 4.3 percent was revised upward to 4.5 percent. However, December’s preliminary estimated gain of 11,400 jobs was revised to a gain of 13,800 jobs.

The national unemployment rate rose slightly from 3.9 percent in December to 4.0 percent in January. In January 2018, the national unemployment rate was 4.1 percent.

Private sector employment increased by 12,000 while the public sector added 300 jobs in January. This month’s report shows the greatest private job growth occurred in education & health services up 3,900 jobs, leisure & hospitality up 3,100 jobs, retail trade and construction both up 1,900 jobs and professional & business services up 1,200 jobs. Other industry sectors posting job growth are financial activities up 800 jobs, wholesale trade up 500 jobs and government up 300 jobs. Mining & logging remained constant. The industry sector posting the largest decrease was information losing 900 jobs followed by transportation, warehousing & utilities losing 200 jobs and both manufacturing and other services each losing 100 jobs.

 


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