Washington state jobless rate rises to 9.4 percent in May

Washington lost another 6,700 payroll jobs in May, and the state's unemployment rate rose to 9.4 percent, the state Employment Security Department reported today.

The increase came after a slight downward revision to April's jobless rate, to 9 percent, and confounds hopes that the recession in Washington is at or close to a bottom.

"The economic numbers are volatile right now, and at times contradictory," Greg Weeks, who heads the department's labor-market information office, said in a statement. "The recession has been deep and wide, and we're likely to see ups and downs for a while."

The 9.4 percent statewide jobless rate, which reflects adjustment for seasonal variations, matches the U.S. rate for May. A year ago, the state rate was 5.5 percent.

In the Seattle metro area, unemployment leapt to 8.4 percent, from a revised 7.8 percent in April.

Over the past 12 months, Washington has lost 116,000 payroll jobs, a 3.9 percent decline.

The construction sector again took one of the biggest hits, shrinking by 3,100 jobs in May. Over the past year, 35,400 construction jobs have evaporated, a 17.3 percent decline; construction accounts for nearly a third of the lost jobs.

Employment services, a category that includes temporary-help agencies, fell by 1,600 jobs last month. Financial activities lost a net 1,100 jobs, as declines in banking and insurance were partially offset by a 700-job increase in real estate and rental leasing.

Software employers, until recently a stabilizing force in the economy, shed 500 jobs in May. The aerospace industry cut 100 jobs in the month.

Another 13,900 people statewide reported being without work in May, bringing the total number of unemployed Washingtonians to 327,430.

Around the state, Whitman County reported the lowest unemployment rate, 5.3 percent (not adjusted for seasonal variations). Pend Oreille County had the highest rate at 14.7 percent.

Drew DeSilver: 206-464-3145 or ddesilver@seattletimes.com