Washington’s unemployment rate remains steady at 5.6 percent for August 2014, according to preliminary, seasonally-adjusted estimates released today by state Employment Security Department.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nonfarm, seasonally-adjusted employment dropped by 1,500 from July 2014 to August 2014 with the private sector adding 200 jobs but the public sector losing 1,700 jobs.
Year-over-year, Washington saw growth in every industry from August 2013 to August 2014.
Industry sectors with the largest employment gains during this period were:
Education and health services with an increase of 15,500 jobs;
- Leisure and hospitality with an increase of 13,800 jobs;
- Retail trade with an increase of 12,700 jobs;
- Construction with 10,400 new jobs; and
- Professional and business services with 10,300 new jobs.
Washington’s resident labor force, the total number of people in the workforce, employed and unemployed, ages 16 and older, increased by 1,700 to 3,470,700 in August 2014.
