Peninsula Daily News and The Associated Press
Clallam County’s unemployment rate held steady in June, and Jefferson County’s job picture brightened a little, according to state unemployment figures released today.
Clallam County’s June unemployment rate was listed by the state Employment Security Department as 9.8 percent, the same as May. Those figures compare with a 6.8 unemployment rate in June 2008, before the recession hit full-force last fall.
Jefferson County’s June unemployment was 8.0 percent, down from 8.4 percent in May but still greater than the 5.4 percent posted in June 2008.
Statewide, the unemployment rate rose to 9.3 percent last month, up from a revised rate of 9.1 percent in May, the Employment Security Department said.
Nearly 330,000 people in Washington were unemployed and looking for work in June.
“We are beginning to see signs that our economy may be stabilizing and recovery efforts are working, but it will take time,” Gov. Chris Gregoire said in a written statement.
Initially, May’s state jobless rate was reported at 9.4 percent, but it was later revised down to 9.1 percent. Washington state’s rate is lower than the national rate, which was 9.5 percent for June.
Jobs with the largest declines in Washington last month were in government, which lost 4,600 positions, retail trade, which cut 2,100, education and health care services, down 1,200, and construction, which also lost 1,200 jobs.
Some industries saw growth. Leisure and hospitality added 500 jobs, and professional and business services were up by 100.
Last year at this time, Washington’s unemployment rate was 5.5 percent. The state lost 117,800 jobs from June 2008 to June 2009, a 4 percent decrease. Nationally, employment declined by 4.1 percent over the past year.
