Grant Co. joblessness at 8.7 percent

MOSES LAKE - Jobs are returning to Grant County, according to a recent state report.

In April, non-farm employers provided 26,160 jobs for county residents, a 0.7 percent and 180-job increase from the 25,980 jobs available last April.

A similar increase in non-farm jobs occurred at the state level as well, according to the report released by the state Employment Security Department.

There were an estimated 2.9 million non-farm jobs across Washington this April, compared to 2.8 million jobs in April 2012.

"This equated to a 2.4 percent over-the-year statewide employment increase," read the report.

According to the report, this isn't the first time non-farm employment in the county showed signs of growth. Grant County gained 450 non-farm jobs, a 1.7 percent increase, between 2011 and 2012.

"And this trend is continuing into the first four months of 2013," read the report.

The county's service providing industry provided the most job growth, according to data from the report. The industry increased from 20,490 jobs in April 2012 to 20,790 jobs in April 2013.

Government organizations, which includes public schools, were responsible for adding a majority of those jobs. According to the report, the information and financial activities and the transportation, warehousing and utilities sectors of the industry also provided more jobs this April than in April 2012.

The goods producing industry, which includes construction and manufacturing firms, was the only industry that reported less jobs this April than last April.

This April, there were 5,370 goods producing jobs while there were 5,490 jobs in April 2012.

The last time the goods producing sector lost jobs was in 2009 and 2010. Grant County's goods producing firms lost 300 jobs in 2010 and about 1,180 jobs during 2009, according to the report.

The industry rebounded by gaining back 660 jobs in 2011 and 150 new jobs in 2012.

"Estimates indicate that year-over-year goods producing job growth has stalled in 2013," read the report.

However, the report figures the downturn is just a temporary slump.

Goods producing firms across Washington have been hiring for the past 27 months, which is encouraging economic news, according to the report.

The county's unemployment rate declined nine-tenths of a percentage point between April 2012 and April 2013. The report puts Grant County's unemployment rate at 8.7 percent, which is not seasonally adjusted, as of this April. About 3,530 residents are without work. The county's unemployment rate was 9.6 percent last April.

Statewide, the unemployment rate is 6.5 percent. Last April, the state had a rate of 8 percent, according to the report.