Unemployment picture improves in November

MOSES LAKE — While unemployment in Grant County increased between October and November 2016, it dropped when compared with November 2015. The county’s unemployment rate dropped from 7.5 percent in November 2015 to 7.2 percent in November 2016. That’s actually lower than the unemployment rate in November 2014, which was 7.4 percent.

“Good news for the local economy,” wrote Don Meseck, regional labor economist for the Washington Employment Security Department.

Unemployment rose from 5.7 percent in October. That compares to a jump from 5.7 percent to 7.5 percent between October and November 2015.

With data analyzed from 11 months of 2016, “it appears likely that the average annual job growth (in Grant County) will be in the 1 to 2 percent range, i.e., a bit faster than 2015,” Meseck wrote.

“Grant County lost jobs from October 2015 through March 2016 before posting gains from April through November 2016.” There were 900 more jobs available in Grant County in November 2016 than November 2015.

Durable goods manufacturing has suffered some setbacks, losing jobs every month between November 2015 and November 2016. In that time-frame, the durable goods manufacturing sector lost 410 jobs, an 18 percent downturn.

The news was better in the wholesale trade sector, which includes computer data farms. It was “one of the two nonfarm industries that added the most jobs to the Grant County economy this November.” The wholesale trade sector added 230 jobs between November 2015 and November 2016. “This industry has been expanding for the past 10 months.”

The professional and business services sector added the most jobs when November 2016 is compared with November 2015, Meseck wrote. The sector had 2,070 jobs in November 2016 and 1,380 jobs in November 2015, “a strong 690 job and 50 percent upturn.” Employment in that sector “has generally been rebounding in every month from April through November 2016.”

The local construction industry has added jobs for the past four months, from August through November. The retail trade sector added 100 jobs when the two Novembers are compared, a 2.9 percent increase. The education and health services sector lost 60 jobs between October and November 2016, but gained 180 jobs between the Novembers, an increase of 6.8 percent.

The leisure and hospitality sector lost jobs, however. The sector saw 50 jobs lost between October and November 2016, and 10 jobs between November 2015 and November 2016.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.