State's jobless rate resumes its climb: 9.2% for August

Well, that didn't last long.

After dipping a bit in July, Washington's unemployment rate bounced back up to 9.2 percent last month, the same rate as in June and the highest in decades, the state Employment Security Department reported this morning.

The state lost another 8,000 jobs in August, bringing the total loss since the recession began to 128,800.

Unemployment in the Seattle metro area also rose last month, to a seasonally adjusted 9 percent. A year earlier, the local jobless rate was 4.7 percent.

Nationally, the unemployment rate in August was 9.7 percent.

The battered construction sector actually gained 200 jobs in August, as gains in non-residential construction and home building offset a 1,400-job drop among residential specialty contractors.

Aerospace manufacturing lost 1,300 jobs last month, reflecting layoffs at Boeing and other local companies. The retail sector shed 2,400 jobs, mainly among clothiers, auto dealers and home-and-garden supply stores.

The grim jobs news continued today as Adaptis, a Seattle-based health-claims processor, said it was closing and would let go all 138 employees.

In a notice filed with Employment Security, Adaptis said the layoffs started on Sept. 4 but most would take place between November and May 2010, as the 13-year-old company winds down operations.

The news comes less than two weeks after Clear Choice Health Plans, a Bend, Ore.-based insurer and major Adaptis client, said it was ending its relationship with the outsourcing company.

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