State unemployment rises to 8.6 percent
Despite gaining a considerable amount of construction jobs, unemployment statewide rose in August. An estimated 1,900 construction jobs were gained, contributing to a net gain of 3,900 since August 2011.
Despite this gain, the unemployment rate for August was 8.6 percent.
For the second year in a row, estimates for the leisure-and-hospitality industry and the wholesale-trade industry showed unusually large losses for August. They contributed to an estimated net loss of 1,100 nonfarm jobs across the state.
In August, an estimated 301,700 people in Washington were unemployed and looking for work. That includes 129,676 who claimed unemployment benefits last month.
Also in August, 3,429 unemployed workers ran out of unemployment benefits, bringing the total to 108,669 since extended benefits were activated in July 2008.
In July, Grays Harbor unemployment dropped over half a point in July to 12.4%. This moved the county into the 2nd highest unemployment in the state. Pacific County went from 11% in June to 10.2% in July.
The county by county unemployment rates for August are expected to be released September 25th.
