PORT ANGELES — After a three-month spike in unemployment, the jobless rate in Clallam County leveled off in February.
The county’s unemployment rate actually fell — from 10.7 to 10.6 percent — in February, according to preliminary labor statistics released Tuesday by the state Employment Security Department.
There were 3,290 people out of work last month in Clallam County, which had a 7.7 percent unemployment figure in February of 2008.
Unemployment in the county climbed to 7.9 percent in November, 8.6 percent in December and soared into double-digits in January, with construction and forest-product industries leading the way.
In Jefferson County, unemployment fell from 9.2 to 9.0 percent in February. There were 1,270 people looking for work.
The jobless figure was 5.6 percent in Jefferson County in February 2008.
Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate climbed from 7.8 to 8.4 percent last month.
The February unemployment percentage was the highest seen in Washington since June 1985.
“This is a serious situation,” said Mary Ayala, the state’s chief economist.
More than 330,500 people are looking for work in Washington.
Last month, more than 28,000 jobs were lost, with the biggest cuts in professional and business services, transportation, trade and utilities, construction and manufacturing. Professional and business services took the brunt of the hit, losing 13,400 jobs.
The one area with job growth last month was the financial-activities industry, which added 1,200 jobs.
Last year at this time, Washington’s unemployment rate was 4.7 percent.
Gov. Chris Gregoire said the steadily increasing unemployment rate underscores “the fundamental economic challenges we face.”
“Behind the numbers are the men and women of Washington state who are struggling to meet their mortgages or rent payments, feed their families and pay their bills,” Gregoire said in a prepared statement.
In January, Gregoire proposed a state stimulus plan she said would encourage consumer spending and create jobs. Gregoire wants to create thousands of jobs over the next two years by speeding up construction projects, especially at colleges and universities.
One portion of her plan, to temporarily increase unemployment benefits, was signed into law last month.
The national unemployment rate rose from 7.6 to 8.1 percent in February.
March unemployment data will be released on April 14.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
