Published September 2001

Summertime jobs
drop unemployment rate

By Mike Benbow
Herald Economy Editor

The unemployment rate for Snohomish County and the state fell as expected in July because of the usual increase in summertime jobs.

Statewide, unemployment fell three-tenths of a percentage point from 5.9 percent in June to 5.6 percent in July. In the county, the drop was less significant — only one-tenth of a percentage point — to 4.7 percent.

“Washington’s unemployment rate generally dips during July, and this year was no exception,” said Sylvia Mundy, Employment Commissioner.

Donna Thompson, the agency’s labor economist for Snohomish County, said the number of jobless people remained at about 16,600 for both June and July, but the number of jobs rose.

She said the county added 800 manufacturing jobs in July, 500 in food-related positions and 300 at the Boeing Co. and related aircraft firms. There also were 100 new construction jobs, Thompson noted.

Service jobs and government positions dropped in the county.

Thompson said there have been orders for 13 Everett-assembled 767s recently, and that Home Depot has opened its new store on the Tulalip Reservation. On the bad-news side of the ledger, the Lynnwood Homelife Furniture store shut down, and Motorola plans to cut 90 jobs at its Bothell location, she added.

In Snohomish County, the numbers mean that out of a potential labor force of 348,800, a total of 332,200 people had jobs in July.

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