State jobless rate equals U.S. average

Employment: 6,700 nonfarm jobs cut in May

ROLF BOONE; The Olympian | • Published June 17, 2009

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The recession in Washington deepened in May as the unemployment rate rose to 9.4 percent from 9 percent in April, but the pace of statewide job cuts has slowed since January, according to data released Tuesday by the state Employment Security Department.

The state’s jobless rate now matches the 9.4 percent national unemployment rate as Washington employers shed 6,700 more nonfarm jobs. Monthly job losses statewide in May were well below the 20,000 job losses in February and March, according to ESD data.

Since May 2008, the state has lost 116,000 jobs.

The strongest industry sector last month was leisure and hospitality, which added 1,600 jobs. Construction, information services, financial activities and government all shed jobs, the data show.

In Thurston County, the jobless rate was 8 percent in May, a slight increase from a revised 7.9 percent unemployment rate in April. About 600 state and federal government jobs were lost in April and May in the county, although those losses were offset by an equal number of job gains in trade, transportation, warehousing, utilities and financial activities, ESD data show.

Thurston County’s jobless rate could drop to about 7.5 percent in the coming months, but that will depend on seasonal job gains in construction and leisure and hospitality, ESD regional economist Jim Vleming said.

“It’s just a matter of whether seasonal gains are going to outweigh job losses,” he said.

Seasonal job gains in Thurston County likely will be offset by noncontract school employees losing their jobs over the summer and the prospect of more cuts in state government, Vleming said.

“With the state budget hanging over our heads, there is no wiggle room (for improvement) over the next few months,” he said. Meanwhile, the job search continues for more than 327,000 people in the state.

The search for work is now in its eighth month for Brandy McBride of Lacey, who was at the Thurston County WorkSource office Tuesday. McBride said she quit her last job in October and moved from Spokane to be closer to her family in Lacey. McBride, a single parent, has a background in social services, working with the chemically dependent, she said. Now, however, she is willing to do anything, McBride said.

Her next step is to widen her search beyond the county, and she thinks she can hold out through the summer before things get serious. “There’s nothing available or one job and 300 applicants,” she said about the job market.

Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403

rboone@theolympian.com

Regional jobless rates

Rates for May, not seasonally adjusted:

COUNTYJobless

Thurston8 percent

King8.4 percent

Pierce10.1 percent

Mason10.7 percent

Lewis13.5 percent

Grays Harbor13.9 percent