PORT ANGELES — Unemployment rates on the North Olympic Peninsula dropped slightly in April thanks in part to normal seasonal changes, state Employment Security officials said Tuesday.
Clallam County’s estimated jobless rate dipped from a revised 8.4 percent in March to a preliminary 8.0 percent in April, officials said.
The county had 24,480 employed and 2,120 actively seeking work.
Jefferson County’s estimated jobless rate dropped from a revised 7.5 percent in March to a preliminary 6.7 percent in April, Employment Security said.
There were 10,300 employed Jefferson County residents and 730 looking for a job.
In March 2014, the jobless rates in Clallam and Jefferson counties were 8.1 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively.
Estimated unemployment rates do not factor those who are underemployed, commute to other counties or have quit looking for work.
Changes in the size of the workforce also can affect unemployment rates.
King County had the lowest unemployment in the state last month at 3.3 percent. Ferry County had the highest at 9.7 percent.
Drops in unemployment can be attributed to normal seasonal changes such as the hiring of leisure and hospitality workers for the tourist season, Employment Security officials have said.
A breakdown of the type of jobs gained or lost on the North Olympic Peninsula in April was not provided with the monthly report for individual counties.
Unemployment rates at the county level are not seasonally adjusted because the sample size is too small to accommodate the additional analysis, Employment Security said.
The seasonally adjusted state jobless rate dipped from 5.9 percent in March to 5.5 percent in April, officials said. The non-seasonally-adjusted state unemployment rate was 5.0 percent last month.
The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate went from 5.5 percent in March to 5.4 percent in April, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
