(Washington, DC) - The Department of Employment Services (DOES), announced that the Washington Metropolitan Division's not seasonally adjusted December 2008 unemployment rate increased by 0.4 percent, to 4.9 percent. This resulted in a 1.7 percent increase from December 2007.

Civilian Labor Force Employment and Unemployment 

The civilian labor force in the Washington Metropolitan Division decreased by 5,100 in December 2008 as employment declined by 14,100 while those who were unemployed increased by 8,900.

Over the last twelve months, the number of employed residents in the Washington Metropolitan Division decreased by 17,700. With 42,800 more unemployed division residents, the division civilian labor force rose by 25,000. 

Job Growth

Total wage and salary employment in the Washington Metropolitan Division decreased over the month by 4,000. The private sector decreased by 3,600 jobs while the public sector decreased by 400 jobs. Within the private sector, gains were registered in only two sectors: trade, transportation and utilities (up by 2,200 jobs) and information (up 100 jobs). Losses were noted in natural resources and construction (down by 2,100 jobs), leisure and hospitality (down by 1,800 jobs), educational & health services and professional & business services (down by 500 jobs each), manufacturing (down by 400 jobs), and other services and financial activities (down by 300 jobs each). In the public sector, the federal government added 900 jobs; while the local government lost 900 jobs; and the state government lost 400 jobs.
 
During the last twelve months, the Washington Metropolitan Division gained a total of 11,000 jobs. The private sector added 100 jobs and the public sector gained 10,900 jobs. The private sector growth occurred in professional and business services (up by 7,900 jobs), educational and health services (up by 7,500 jobs), and other services (up by 6,700 jobs). Losses were registered in trade, transportation and utilities (down by 8,200 jobs), natural resources and construction (down by 7,300 jobs), financial activities (down by 2,500 jobs), information (down by 2,300 jobs), manufacturing (down by 900 jobs), and leisure and hospitality (down by 800 jobs).
In the public sector, local government gained 6,200 jobs; federal government added 3,300 jobs; and the state government increased by 1,400 jobs.

Statistical Area Civilian Labor Force Employment and Unemployment

The civilian labor force in the suburban ring of communities surrounding the District of Columbia decreased by 5,000 in December 2008: the number of employed residents decreased by 13,500 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 8,500. The unemployment rate in the suburban ring, at 4.2 percent in December 2008, was 0.3 percent higher than the rate in November 2008.

Over the year, there was a decrease of 17,900 employed residents in the suburban ring. With 41,800 more unemployed suburban residents, the suburban civilian labor force rose by 23,800. The suburban ring’s December 2008 unemployment rate was up 1.5 percent from December 2007.

For the Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area, the number of employed residents decreased by 16,100. With 10,200 more unemployed metropolitan area residents, the civilian labor force in the metropolitan area decreased by 5,900 in December 2008. The unemployment rate in the metropolitan area, at 4.7 percent in December 2008, was 0.3 percent higher than the rate in November 2008.

Compared to December 2007, the Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area’s civilian labor force rose by 25,400. Employment decreased by 26,600 and the number of unemployed rose by 52,000.  The Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area’s December 2008 unemployment rate was up 1.7 percent from the December 2007 rate of 3.0 percent.

Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area Job Growth

December 2008 wage and salary employment estimates for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area will be released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics on February 4, 2009.  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).