(Washington, DC) -  Today Summer Spencer, Director of the Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced that the District of Columbia's seasonally adjusted April 2008 unemployment rate was 6.0 percent, down 0.1 percent from the March 2008 rate.  The April 2008 rate was 0.3 percent higher than the rate in April 2007.

The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in April 2008 was 5.0 percent; down 0.1 percent from the March 2008 rate and 0.5 percent higher than the April 2007, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate.

District of Columbia’s Civilian Labor Force, Employment and Unemployment
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April 2008 was 5.4 percent; down 1.0 percent from the rate in March 2008 and 0.3 percent higher than the rate in April 2007.

Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 3,100 to 329,700.  A total of 311,900 residents were employed and 17,700 were unemployed in April 2008.  A 300 increase in the number of employed residents along with a 3,600 decrease in the number of unemployed residents resulted in a 1.0 percent drop in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate.

From April 2007 to April 2008, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 5,700 as the number of employed residents rose by 4,500 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 1,200.  The District’s April 2008 unemployment rate was 0.3 percent higher than the rate in April 2007.

The April 2008 national unemployment rate of 4.8 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was 0.4 percent lower than the rate in March 2008 and 0.5 percent higher than the rate in April 2007.

District of Columbia Job Growth
The number of District wage and salary jobs increased by 3,300 in April 2008. The private sector gained 3,400 jobs while the public sector shed 100 jobs. In the private sector, leisure and hospitality increased by 1,400 jobs, trade, transportation and utilities added 600 jobs, educational and health services and professional and business services added 500 jobs each, other services gained 200 jobs, and natural resources and construction and financial activities added 100 jobs each. Meanwhile, information and manufacturing sectors were unchanged over the month.  In the public sector, the Federal Government gained 200 jobs; transportation added 100 jobs; and the District Government lost 400 jobs.

In the last twelve months, the District gained a total of 9,200 jobs. The private sector added 6,800 jobs and the public sector gained 2,400 jobs. The private sector growth occurred in educational and health services (up by 3,600 jobs), professional and business services (up by 2,100 jobs), other services (up by 2,000 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 300 jobs), natural resources and construction (up by 200 jobs), and trade, transportation and utilities (up by 100 jobs).  Losses were noted in financial activities and information (down by 700 jobs each), and manufacturing and (down by 100 jobs).  In the public sector, the District Government gained 1,100 jobs, the Federal Government increased by 1,000 jobs, and transportation added 300 jobs.