Published October 2002

County jobless rate down, still higher than state

By Mike Benbow
Herald Business Editor

Snohomish County’s jobless rate fell in August, but it still remained significantly higher than the state and national averages due in part to job losses in aerospace and retail trade.

The county’s August unemployment rate fell three-tenths of a percentage point to 7.3 percent, according to statistics released by the state Department of Employment Security.

The state rate dropped two-tenths of a percentage point to 6.7 percent. But when it was adjusted for seasonal factors, the state jobless rate actually rose to 7.2 percent in August, the agency reported.

“The August numbers are further evidence that Washington’s economy is likely to experience a slow recovery,” said Sylvia Mundy, employment security commissioner. “The good news is the state’s economy appears to be withstanding the declines in manufacturing.”

Donna Thompson, the agency’s labor economist for Snohomish County, said the declining county numbers were good news, but news tempered by the fact that the economy here is significantly worse than it was a year ago.

Layoffs at the Boeing Co. and related industries have eliminated 4,400 jobs during the past year, according to agency estimates. That means the aerospace industry, which employed an estimated 25,900 people, has shrunk by nearly 15 percent since August 2001.

The county lost only 100 Boeing-related jobs in August 2002.

There were bigger job losses in the retail trade business, including 100 at food stores, 100 at furniture stores and another 200 at eating and drinking establishments. All are likely signs of the area’s continuing recession.

All told, the county lost 900 jobs in August.

The jobless numbers mean that in Snohomish County, which had an estimated labor force of 339,300 people in August, 314,000 were working and 24,900 were seeking jobs.

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