(Washington, DC)  Today, Department of Employment Services (DOES) Director Gregg Irish announced that the District of Columbia's seasonally adjusted October 2006 unemployment rate was 5.9 percent, unchanged from September 2006. The October 2006 rate was 0.2 percent lower than the rate in October 2005. 

“Although the unemployment rate remained unchanged over the month, the number of employed District residents in the labor force rose by 6,600 in October. Over the year, there was a 2,800 increase in the number of employed residents and a 400 decrease in the number unemployed residents. This resulted in a 2,400 rise in the District’s labor force,” said Director Irish.  

The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in October 2006 was 4.4 percent; down 0.2 percent from the September 2006 rate and 0.5 percent lower than the October 2005, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate. 

District of Columbia’s Civilian Labor Force, Employment and Unemployment   

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for October 2006 was 5.6 percent; down 0.4 percent from the September 2006 rate and 0.2 percent lower than the rate in October 2005. 

Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 6,300 to 294,600. A total of 278,200 residents were employed and 16,400 were unemployed in October 2006. A 7,100 increase in the number of employed residents along with an 800 drop in the number of unemployed residents resulted in the 0.4 percent decrease in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate. 

From October 2005 to October 2006, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 1,800 as the number of employed residents increased by 2,200 and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 500.  The District’s October 2006 unemployment rate was 0.2 percent lower than the rate in October 2005. 

The October 2006 national unemployment rate of 4.1 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was down 0.3 percent from the rate in September 2006 and 0.5 percent lower than the rate in October 2005. 

District of Columbia Job Growth 

The number of District wage and salary jobs increased by 6,400 in October 2006.  The private sector gained 6,500 jobs and the public sector shed 100 jobs. In the private sector, educational and health services increased by 4,600 jobs, professional and business services gained 900 jobs, leisure and hospitality gained 700 jobs, trade, transportation and utilities added 300 jobs, and information gained 100 jobs. Other services lost 100 jobs. Manufacturing, natural resources and construction, and financial activities were unchanged. In the public sector, the federal government lost 500 jobs, the District government added 300 jobs, and transportation gained 100 jobs. 

In the last 12 months, the District gained a total of 9,500 jobs. The private sector added 11,000 jobs while the public sector lost 1,500 jobs. The private sector growth occurred in professional and business services (up by 3,300 jobs), educational and health services (up by 2,300 jobs), information (up by 1,600 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 1,200 jobs), financial activities (up by 1,100 jobs), natural resources and construction (up by 600 jobs), trade, transportation and utilities (up by 500 jobs), and manufacturing and other services (up by 200 jobs each). In the public sector, transportation gained 500 jobs while the federal government lost 1,200 jobs and the District government shed 800 jobs.