Unemployment rate rises slightly

MOSES LAKE - August's unemployment rate in Grant County rose

slightly by two-tenths of a percentage point to 8.4 percent,

compared to one year ago.

But Grant County's unemployment rate stayed lower than the

state's rate of 8.8 percent, according to Mark Berreth, regional

labor economist with the state Employment Security Department.

MOSES LAKE - August's unemployment rate in Grant County rose slightly by two-tenths of a percentage point to 8.4 percent, compared to one year ago.

But Grant County's unemployment rate stayed lower than the state's rate of 8.8 percent, according to Mark Berreth, regional labor economist with the state Employment Security Department.

Grant County's figures are a little bit off average, but it's not terrible, he told the Columbia Basin Herald.

Grant County's figures usually increase in August.

"It's kind of difficult to say right now," Berreth said. "Initially, we obviously have a seasonal effect going on here. Usually we have a longer summer season."

The job loses are more dramatic from July to August, which showed a decrease of 1,180 positions.

The job losses were in the following areas: nonfarm, 390; total private, 30; goods-producing, 50; service-providing, 340; and government, 370.

"Last month, the year-over-year increase in total nonfarm employment was starting to shed some light on a strengthening short-term economy, but now it can be seen that further decreases in employment in both month-over-month and year-over-year numbers is still showing some struggle for the labor market to turn around," he stated.

As compared to last year, there was a decline of 230 government jobs from July to August 2009.

He wasn't able to break the government figures down to the local level, but said they are seeing teachers and college professors laid off.

"It's not a big alarm there, but an increase," he said. "We should be seeing an increase in September figures. We should see a small bump when school starts."

In the service providing sector, which includes people working in restaurants and stores, the year's job decrease was also lower last year by a loss of 230 jobs. There was only a decrease of 50 service-providing jobs during the prior year, from July to August 2009. The service-providing sector remained flat statewide.

The state was down 14,100 jobs in the service-providing sector.

But statewide, an increase was seen in retail trade.

"Retail has maintained strength throughout the state, but in some of the other sectors, like wholesale trade, it dropped just a little bit," Berreth explained.

The hiring of retail workers might be based on optimism.

"But at the same time, if we do have taxable sales decrease, it will be harder to keep those employees on," he said. "There is also a seasonal effect we're looking at, with retail positions going down."

From July to August in 2009, there was a decrease of 270 nonfarm jobs.

In 2008, there was an increase of 230 nonfarm jobs during that same time frame.

A bright spot of Berreth's employment report showed growth in Grant County's labor force with an increase of 1,000 residents, comparing August 2009 to August 2010.

But the number of unemployed residents increased by 6 percent, or 200 people.