Washington State’s Unemployment Improved in October, but Recovery in Jeopardy

Washington's economy added 1,000 jobs in October according to the state's Employment Security Department.

The statewide seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate last month decreased from 8.3 percent to 6.0 percent, the best that rate has been since March when the rate was 5.1 percent. Washington's unemployment rate is still 2 percent worse than it was a year ago, but that's still an improvement from September's year over year rate, which was 4.2 percent worse.

According to economist Paul Turek, "Upward revisions to the data in recent months show a stronger recovery, but renewed restrictions on business operations in response to mounting virus risk put the recovery in jeopardy."

Professional and business services, retail trade, and leisure & hospitality were the industries that gained the most jobs in October, while the government and manufacturing sectors accounted for almost all of the job losses last month.