Washington unemployment rate holds steady at 4.6 percent

employment-security-department

Washington state’s unemployment rate last month was unchanged from the previous month’s rate of 4-point-6 percent.

According to the latest numbers released Wednesday by the Employment Security Department, the state added 13,800 jobs in September after the private sector gained 6,000 jobs during the month and the public sector gained 7,800.

Job gains and losses are estimates based on a survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The unemployment rate counts the percentage of people who are unemployed and actively looking for work, and doesn’t include those who have stopped looking for work.

The national unemployment rate was 4.2 percent last month.   (AP)