Washington’s economy added 7,100 jobs in April and the state’s seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate came in at 4.8 percent, just slightly higher than the month prior.
The state Employment Security Department says Washington’s economy continues to strengthen, as jobs keep being added each successive month and the unemployment rate has held steady for more than a year. The state’s labor force saw little change in April, with a drop of 700 people out of 3.76 million.
The labor force is the total number of people, both employed and unemployed, over the age of 16.
Private sector employment increased by 6,500 while the public sector gained 600 jobs in April. The greatest private job growth occurred in construction; education and health services; professional and business services; and leisure and hospitality. Other sectors adding jobs were government; wholesale trade; other services; information; and mining and logging.
Retail trade experienced the biggest reduction in April, while manufacturing; and financial activities also lost jobs. Transportation, warehousing, and utilities was the only sector that remained unchanged.
Year-over-year growth remains strong, as Washington added an estimated 85,100 new jobs from April 2017 through April 2018. (ESD)
