(Washington, DC)  Today, Summer Spencer, Director of the Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced that the District of Columbia's seasonally adjusted January 2008 unemployment rate was 6.2 percent, up 0.5 percent from the December 2007 rate.  The January 2008 rate was 0.5 percent higher than the rate in January 2007.

The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in January 2008 was 4.9 percent; down 0.1 percent from the December 2007 rate and 0.3 percent higher than the January 2007, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate.

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

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January 2008 was 6.7 percent; up 0.9 percent from the rate in December 2007 and 0.7 percent higher than the rate in January 2007.
 
Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 100 to 325,900.  A total of 303,900 residents were employed and 22,000 were unemployed in January 2008.  A 3,100 decrease in the number of employed residents along with a 3,100 increase in the number of unemployed residents resulted in a 0.9 percent rise in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate.
 
From January 2007 to January 2008, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 4,500 as the number of employed residents rose by 1,800 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 2,700.  The District’s January 2008 unemployment rate was 0.7 percent higher than the rate in January 2007.

The January 2008 national unemployment rate of 5.4 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was 0.6 percent higher than the rate in December 2007 and 0.4 percent higher than the rate in January 2007.

District of Columbia Job Growth

The number of District wage and salary jobs decreased by 13,800 in January 2008.  The private sector lost 11,500 jobs and the public sector shed 2,300 jobs.   In the private sector, educational and health services decreased by 3,400 jobs, professional and business services lost 2,800 jobs, leisure and hospitality shed 2,400 jobs, other services lost 1,300 jobs, trade, transportation and utilities decreased by 600 jobs, natural resources and construction lost 500 jobs,  financial activities declined by 400 jobs, and information shed 100 jobs. Meanwhile, manufacturing was unchanged over the month.  In the public sector, the District Government shed 1,200 jobs; the Federal Government lost 1,100 jobs; and transportation was unchanged.

In the last twelve months, the District gained a total of 9,000 jobs.  The private sector added 6,000 jobs and the public sector gained 3,000 jobs.  The private sector growth occurred in professional and business services (up by 2,700 jobs), educational and health services (up by 2,500 jobs), other services (up by 2,100 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 800 jobs), and trade, transportation and utilities (up by 100 jobs).  Losses were noted in information (down by 1,100 jobs), financial activities (down by 900 jobs), and manufacturing and natural resources and construction (down by 100 jobs each).  In the public sector, the Federal Government increased by 1,500 jobs, the District Government gained 1,300 jobs, and transportation added 200 jobs.

Washington Metropolitan Division Civilian Labor Force Employment and Unemployment Rate

The civilian labor force in the Washington Metropolitan Division increased by 4,300 in January 2008 as employment declined by 7,600 and the number unemployed increased by 12,000.  The unemployment rate in the Washington Metropolitan Division, at 3.7 percent in January, was up 0.5 percent from the rate in December 2007.  

Over the last twelve months, the number of employed residents in the Washington Metropolitan Division rose by 17,000.   With 9,600 more unemployed division residents, the division civilian labor force rose by 26,600.  The metropolitan division’s January 2008 unemployment rate was up 0.4 percent from the rate in January 2007.

Washington Metropolitan Division Job Growth

Total wage and salary employment in the Washington Metropolitan Division decreased over the month in January 2008 by 40,800.  The private sector decreased by 31,900 jobs and the public sector declined by 8,900 jobs.  Within the private sector, losses were registered in trade, transportation, and utilities (down by 10,700 jobs), professional and business services (down by 6,100 jobs), leisure and hospitality (down by 5,600 jobs), educational and health services (down by 3,300 jobs), natural resources, mining and construction (down by 3,000 jobs), financial activities and other services (down by 1,000 jobs each), manufacturing (down by 800 jobs), and information (down by 400 jobs).   In the public sector, state government lost 5,600 jobs; the federal government shed 1,800 jobs; and local government lost 1,500 jobs. 

During the past twelve months, the Washington Metropolitan Division gained 28,800 jobs.  The private sector added 19,000 jobs and the public sector gained 9,800 jobs.  Private sector gains were registered in professional and business services (up by 14,400 jobs), educational and health services (up by 7,700 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 4,000 jobs), trade, transportation, and utilities (up by 2,600 jobs), and other services (up by 1,500 jobs).  Losses were registered in natural resources, mining and construction (down by 4,200 jobs), financial activities (down by 3,500 jobs), information (down by 2,500 jobs), and manufacturing (down by 1,000 jobs).  In the public sector, local government added 6,900 jobs and state government gained 3,700 jobs while the federal government lost 800 jobs.

Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area Civilian Labor Force Employment and Unemployment Rate

The civilian labor force in the suburban ring of communities surrounding the District of Columbia increased by 4,600 in January 2008 as employment declined by 6,400 and the number unemployed increased by 11,100.  The unemployment rate in the suburban ring, at 3.1 percent in January, was up 0.4 percent from the rate in December 2007.  

Over the last twelve months, the number of employed residents in the suburban ring increased by 13,300.   With 5,800 more unemployed suburban residents, the suburban civilian labor force rose by 19,100.  The suburban ring’s January 2008 unemployment rate was up 0.2 percent from the rate in January 2007.

For the Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area, the number of persons in the civilian labor force increased by 4,700 in January 2008.  The number of employed residents in the metropolitan area fell by 9,500 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 14,200.  The metropolitan area’s unemployment rate at 3.5 percent in January 2008 was up 0.5 percent from the rate in December 2007.

Compared to January 2007, the metropolitan area’s civilian labor force rose by 23,600.  Employment increased by 15,100 and unemployment rose by 8,500.  The Washington Metropolitan Area’s January 2008 unemployment rate was up 0.2 percent from the January 2007 rate of 3.3 percent. 

Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area Job Growth

January 2008 wage and salary employment estimates for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area will be released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on March 19, 2008.  The estimates for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area will be the summation of the estimates for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division (contained in this release) and the Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division (to be released by the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation).