Unemployment rate tumbles with strong job growth

• Published December 14, 2011 Modified December 15, 2011

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The largest one-month gain in jobs in four years helped to lower the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate to 8.7 percent in November from 9.1 percent in October, the state Employment Security Department announced Wednesday.

The state added 12,100 jobs last month and nearly every industry sector created jobs in the October-to- November period. Professional and business services led the way with 4,200 jobs, followed by leisure and hospitality with 3,800 jobs and the construction sector, which has suffered the most during the recession and the state’s slow-growth recovery, added 2,000 jobs.

“This is the kind of job growth we need to make a good dent in the unemployment rate,” said Greg Weeks, director of the ESD’s labor-market information office.

State agencies shed 900 jobs last month, while local government added 1,000 jobs and the federal government shed 200 jobs, the data show.

Thurston and Pierce county November jobless data, which is not seasonally adjusted, will be released Tuesday. In October, Thurston County’s jobless rate was 7.8 percent and Pierce County’s was 9.1 percent.

Rolf Boone, staff writer
rboone@theolympian.com

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