Fueled by a seasonal drop in jobs, the unemployment rate in Clallam County jumped more than 1 percentage point last month, according to estimates released by the state Employment Security Department on Tuesday.
The state is estimating that November’s jobless rate for the county was 9.8 percent, up from October’s revised jobless rate of 8.6 percent.
The estimated increase would be the highest since January, when there was a 1.9 percent jump.
Jefferson County also saw a jump.
The state estimates Jefferson County had 8.4 percent unemployment last month, up from October’s revised figure of 7.6 percent.
It says that the percentage of workers statewide without jobs increased from 8.7 in October to 9.1 in November.
Jim Vleming, regional economist for the state Employment Security Department, attributed the increase to a seasonal decrease in construction and other “outdoor” jobs due to the cold, wet weather.
Lower-than-normal retail sales for this time of year is also a factor, he said, adding that there were 20 fewer retail jobs in Clallam County last month than in November 2008.
“The October-November jump . . . is pretty much in the ballpark of what it’s done in the previous years,” Vleming said.
“It pretty much fits in what we’ve seen historically.”
State numbers going back five years show this to be the case with unemployment jumping up about 1 percent each November.
Vleming expects the upward trend in joblessness to continue until about February or March.
The actual highest unemployment rate for Clallam County this year was 11 percent in March.
Its November 2008 jobless rate was 7.7 percent.
Total nonfarm employment in Clallam County was 22,825 in November, a drop of 234 over the month before, the state agency, responsible for economic analysis, reported.
November’s figure is 375 lower than the same month last year and 1,075 lower than the five-year high of 23,900 in November 2007.
The number of jobless people in Clallam County receiving unemployment insurance was 1,515 in November, which is 352 more than in October.
In November 2008, Clallam County had 1,052 people on unemployment insurance.
The month this year with the most jobless workers receiving state aid was January with 1,787.
Jefferson County’s total nonfarm employment was 8,712 in November, according to the state, which is a decrease of 78 over October.
That county’s five-year high was 9,875 in June 2006.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
