WA November unemployment rises slightly

OLYMPIA — Washington employers added 13,100 jobs in November, though the state’s unemployment rate also posted a slight increase to 4% from 3.8% in October, according to data published last week by the Washington State Employment Security Department.

“Despite the uptick in the unemployment rate, unemployment is low by historic standards,” ESD State Economist Paul Turek said in the press release. “And while companies may be taking a more cautious approach to hiring, the number of jobs added in November indicates that we are still in a favorable environment for job seekers.”

Nationwide, the preliminary unemployment rate for November was 3.7%, the report said.

According to the ESD data, Washington’s labor force — anyone aged 16 or over, whether employed or not — fell by 4,400 in November to just slightly above 4 million, with much of that decrease seen in the Puget Sound area. The number of people statewide claiming unemployment benefits rose to 161,000 in November from 153,500 the previous month.

Many of the job gains statewide since November 2021 have been in leisure and hospitality, the report said, which saw employment rise by 130,900 people in the year-over-year period.

Of 13 industrial and business sectors tracked by ESD, only two — construction and retail trade — saw job losses from October to November, the report said.