(Washington, DC)  Summer Spencer, Director of the Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced today that the District of Columbia's seasonally adjusted September 2007 unemployment rate was 5.7 percent, up 0.1 percent from the August 2007 rate.  The September 2007 rate was 0.4 percent lower than the rate in September 2006.

The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in September 2007 was 4.7 percent; up 0.1 percent from the August 2007 rate and 0.1 percent higher than the September 2006, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate.

District of Columbia’s Civilian Labor Force, Employment and Unemployment
 
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September 2007 was 5.9 percent; up 0.2 percent from the rate in August 2007 and 0.2 percent lower than the September 2006 rate.

Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 2,600 to 317,700.  A total of 298,900 residents were employed and 18,900 were unemployed in September 2007.  A 3,100 decrease in the number of employed residents along with a 700 increase in the number of unemployed residents resulted in the 0.2 percent increase in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate.

From September 2006 to September 2007, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 3,800 as the number of employed residents rose by 4,100 and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 200.  The District’s September 2007 unemployment rate was 0.2 percent lower than the rate in September 2006.

The September 2007 national unemployment rate of 4.5 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was 0.1 percent lower than the rate in August 2007 and 0.1 percent higher than the rate in September 2006.

District of Columbia Job Growth

The number of District wage and salary jobs decreased by 4,600 in September 2007.  The private sector gained 5,300 jobs while the public sector lost 9,900 jobs.   In the private sector, educational and health services increased by 5,300 jobs, leisure and hospitality added 400 jobs, and trade, transportation and utilities and professional and business services gained 300 jobs each. Meanwhile, other services lost 700 jobs, natural resources and construction, information, and financial activities shed 100 jobs each.  Manufacturing was unchanged over the month.  In the public sector, the District Government shed 9,900 jobs while the Federal Government and transportation were unchanged.

In the last 12 months, the District gained a total of 10,700 jobs.  The private sector added 9,600 jobs and the public sector gained 1,100 jobs.  The private sector growth occurred in professional and business services (up by 6,200 jobs), other services (up by 1,000 jobs), financial activities and leisure and hospitality (up by 800 jobs each), trade, transportation and utilities and information (up by 300 jobs each), and natural resources and construction and educational and health services (up by 200 jobs each).  The only loss was registered in manufacturing (down by 200 jobs).  In the public sector, the District Government gained 700 jobs and the Federal Government and transportation added 200 jobs each.