Published February 2003

County’s jobless rate inches lower despite fewer jobs

By Mike Benbow
Herald Business Editor

Snohomish County’s jobless rate equaled the statewide average in December, a sign that our local recession may be easing.

The monthly unemployment rate for the county fell a tenth of a percentage point to 6.8 percent, the state Employment Security Department reported. At the same time, the statewide rate rose to 6.8 percent, an increase of one-tenth of a percentage point.

“This is the first time since last February that the Snohomish County number hasn’t come in higher than the state number,” noted Donna Thompson, a labor economist for the Employment Security Department. “The relatively small monthly changes, coupled with the fact that the rate is almost the same as it was last December, when it was 6.7 percent, may be welcome signs that the economy is stabilizing.”

While the jobless rate went down, the county actually lost 1,600 jobs in December, mostly because of seasonal factors, Thompson said.

The jobless rate can decline even if the number of jobs falls as long as a significant number of people have moved or quit looking for work.

Winter weather and the slow economy contributed to a loss of nearly 700 construction jobs in December. Business services lost 300 jobs, and personnel supply lost another 200. Boeing-related jobs declined by 100 because of continued layoffs.

During 2002, the county lost a total of 4,700 aircraft and parts jobs, a decline of nearly 16 percent. There are still 24,800 people working in the county’s aircraft industry.

Locally, holiday shoppers helped boost the retail sector by 500 jobs, but it wasn’t enough to offset the decline in other areas.

State Employment Commissioner Sylvia Mundy said Washington continues to lag behind the rest of the nation.

“The December numbers confirm the slow pace of economic recovery in Washington and the nation in 2002,” Mundy said. “Washington’s jobless rate remained around 7 percent throughout 2002, and the national rate has been about one percentage point lower.”

The state unemployment rate compares with an unchanged national rate of 6 percent and a 7 percent rate in neighboring Oregon.

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