Washington continues to add jobs; unemployment rate steady at 5.8 percent

Washington added another 11,200 new jobs from March 2016 to April 2016, but the state's unemployment rate remains at 5.8 percent for the fifth month in a row, according to the state's Employment Security Department (ESD).

May 18, 2016 1:20 pm

For the Reporter

Washington added another 11,200 new jobs from March 2016 to April 2016, but the state’s unemployment rate remains at 5.8 percent for the fifth month in a row, according to the state’s Employment Security Department (ESD).

The state released the seasonally adjusted, preliminary jobs estimates from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics as part of its April Monthly Employment Report.

“Washington’s labor market continues to expand at roughly the same pace that we add new jobs,” said ESD’s state labor economist, Paul Turek. “The state’s economy continues to steadily grow with more than 100,000 new jobs since April 2015.”

The U.S. unemployment rate was 5.0 percent for the second month in a row. Unemployment in the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett area dropped from 4.9 percent in March 2016 to a preliminary 4.8 percent in April 2016.

In Washington, ESD paid unemployment insurance benefits to 65,201 people in April.

Labor force continues to grow in Puget Sound region and across Washington

The state’s labor force increased by 11,000 people to nearly 3.63 million from March to April 2016. The labor force is the total number of people, both employed and unemployed, over age 16. In the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region, the labor force grew by only 100 people over the same period.

Eight sectors see job growth, two sectors face losses in April

This month’s report shows the greatest job growth in professional & business services with 3,300 new jobs from March to April 2016.

Three sectors saw no growth. Construction lost 100 jobs and financial activities lost 400 jobs.

Year-over-year growth remains strong with continued gains in public and private sectors

The state added 102,900 new jobs from April 2015 to April 2016, not seasonally adjusted. The private sector grew by 3.6 percent or 90,800 jobs and the public sector increased by 2.1 percent, adding 12,100 jobs.

From April 2015 to April 2016, 11 of 13 major industries saw growth while the number of jobs in the mining and logging industries dropped by 300 and manufacturing lost 2,600 jobs.

The top four industry sectors with the largest employment gains year-over-year, not seasonally adjusted, were:

• Professional & business services with 18,700 new jobs;

• Leisure & hospitality with 14,300 new jobs;

• Government with 12,100 new jobs; and

• Construction with 11,700 new jobs.