(Washington, DC)  Today, Summer Spencer, Director of the Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced that the District of Columbia's seasonally adjusted July 2007 unemployment rate rose slightly to 5.7 percent – up 0.1 percent from the June 2007 rate.  Over the year, the rate was 0.3 percent lower.

The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in July 2007 was 4.6 percent; also up 0.1 percent over the month and 0.2 percent lower than the July 2006, seasonally adjusted unemployment rate.

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

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July 2007 was 6.0 percent; up 0.1 percent from the rate in June 2007 and 0.6 percent lower than the July 2006 rate.
 
Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 3,700 to 323,400.  A total of 303,900 residents were employed and 19,400 were unemployed in July 2007.  A 3,100 increase in the number of employed residents along with a 500 increase in the number of unemployed residents resulted in the 0.1 percent increase in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate.
 
From July 2006 to July 2007, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 3,100 as the number of employed residents fell by 900 and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 2,300.  The District’s July 2007 unemployment rate was 0.6 percent lower than the rate in July 2006.

The July 2007 national unemployment rate of 4.9 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was 0.2 percent higher than the rate in June 2007 and 0.1 percent lower than the rate in July 2006.

District of Columbia Job Growth

The number of District wage and salary jobs increased by 6,800 in July 2007.  The private sector lost 3,800 jobs while the public sector increased by 10,600 jobs.   In the private sector, professional and business services lost 1,800 jobs, leisure and hospitality decreased by 1,300 jobs, educational and health services declined by 900 jobs, trade, transportation and utilities lost 500 jobs, and manufacturing shed 100 jobs. Meanwhile natural resources and construction gained 300 jobs, information and financial activities added 200 jobs each, and other services gained 100 jobs.  In the public sector, the District government added 9,900 jobs and the federal government gained 700 jobs, while transportation was unchanged.

In the last 12 months, the District gained a total of 11,400 jobs.  The private sector added 9,600 jobs and the public sector gained 1,800 jobs.  The private sector growth occurred in professional and business services (up by 6,200 jobs), other services (up by 1,100 jobs), financial activities (up by 900 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 800 jobs), information (up by 300 jobs), educational and health services (up by 200 jobs), and natural resources and construction and trade, transportation and utilities (up by 100 jobs each). Manufacturing lost 100 jobs.  In the public sector, the District government gained 1,700 jobs and transportation added 200 jobs, while the federal government lost 100 jobs.