Published November 2001

Unemployment rate rises
in county, drops in state

By Mike Benbow
Herald Economy Editor

Despite a statewide drop in unemployment, the jobless rate rose slightly in Snohomish County in September, the state Employment Security Department reported.

And the full brunt of the layoffs triggered by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks won’t show up in the numbers until October’s figures are tallied, officials said.

“The effects of September 11 were not fully captured in our state’s labor market data,” said Sylvia Mundy, Commissioner of the department. “The October data, however, is expected to reveal the unfolding effects of its aftermath, particularly at the national level.”

In Snohomish County, where unemployment was 4.6 percent in August, the rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 4.8 percent in September. That means that from a labor force estimated at 337,700 people, about 16,100 were without work.

Washington’s unemployment rate decreased slightly overall in September to 5.5 percent. It had been 5.6 percent in August.

When adjusted for normal seasonal changes, September’s statewide jobless rate increased slightly to 6.1 percent compared to August. The seasonally adjusted national rate remained unchanged at 4.9 percent in September.

The biggest boost to the state’s employment ranks came from the 17,500 state and federal education jobs added with the new school year. Manufacturing lost 1,500 jobs, while retail trade contracted by 3,500 jobs.

Unemployment topped 10 percent in Cowlitz and Klickitat counties. The rate was 3 percent or less in Garfield, San Juan and Whitman counties.

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