OLYMPIA, Wash. – The unemployment rate ticked up slightly from April to May in Washington along with the national economy.
According to the Washington Employment Security Department, unemployment increased from 4.8% to 4.9% despite the economy adding a seasonally adjusted 16,000 jobs. The national unemployment rate increased from 3.9% in April to 4.0% in May.
Chief Labor Economist Anneliese Vance-Sherman says that the Evergreen State’s labor market is cooling but healthy.
“Despite signs of cooling, Washington businesses collectively added several thousand new jobs. We also saw job growth in most industries,” Vance-Sherman said.
May 2023 saw Washington’s lowest recorded unemployment rate at 3.6%. While unemployment was higher this May, the construction and agriculture industries saw an increase in jobs.
