(Washington, DC) Today, Gregg Irish, Director of the Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced that the District of Columbia's seasonally adjusted September 2006 unemployment rate was 5.9 percent, up 0.1 percent from the August 2006 rate. The September 2006 rate was 0.3 percent lower than the rate in September 2005.
"Although the unemployment rate has risen slightly over the last several months, the unemployment rate for the first three quarters of 2006 is still at a lower level than in the previous five years." said Director Irish.
The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in September 2006 was 4.6 percent; down 0.1 percent from the August 2006 rate and 0.5 percent lower than the September 2005, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate.
District of Columbia’s Civilian Labor Force, Employment and Unemployment
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September 2006 was 6.0 percent; down 0.1 percent from the August 2006 rate and up 0.2 percent from the rate in September 2005.
Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 7,400 to 288,300. A total of 271,100 residents were employed and 17,200 were unemployed in September 2006. A 6,600 decrease in the number of employed residents along with a 800 drop in the number of unemployed residents resulted in the 0.1 percent decrease in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate.
From September 2005 to September 2006, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 5,700 as the number of employed residents decreased by 5,900 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 200. The District’s September 2006 unemployment rate was 0.2 percent higher than the rate in September 2005.
The September 2006 national unemployment rate of 4.4 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was down 0.2 percent from the rate in August 2006 and 0.4 percent lower than the rate in September 2005.
District of Columbia Job Growth
The number of District wage and salary jobs decreased by 6,600 in September 2006. The private sector gained 4,400 jobs and the public sector shed 11,000 jobs. In the private sector, educational and health services increased by 4,900 jobs, leisure and hospitality gained 700 jobs, trade, transportation and utilities added 300 jobs, and financial activities gained 100 jobs. Other services shed 500 jobs, professional and business services and information lost 400 jobs each; and natural resources and construction decreased by 300 jobs. Manufacturing was unchanged. In the public sector, the federal government lost 1,300 jobs; the District government shed 9,800 jobs; and transportation gained 100 jobs.
In the last 12 months, the District gained a total of 9,400 jobs. The private sector added 10,700 jobs, while the public sector lost 1,300 jobs. The private sector growth occurred in professional and business services (up by 3,200 jobs), information (up by 1,700 jobs), educational and health services (up by 1,600 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 1,500 jobs), financial activities (up by 1,000 jobs), trade, transportation and utilities (up by 700 jobs), natural resources and construction (up by 500 jobs), other services (up by 300 jobs), and manufacturing (up by 200 jobs). In the public sector, transportation gained 700 jobs while the federal government lost 1,100 jobs and the District government shed 900 jobs.