(Washington, DC) - Today, Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced that the District of Columbia's seasonally adjusted April 2009 unemployment rate was 9.9 percent, up 0.2 percent from the March 2009 rate. The April 2009 rate was 3.5 percent higher than the rate in April 2008.
The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate was 8.9 percent in April 2009 a rise of 0.4 percent from the March 2009 rate, and 3.9 percent higher than the April 2008 rate.
District of Columbia’s Civilian Labor Force, Employment and Unemployment
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April 2009 was 9.3 percent; down 0.1 percent from the rate in March 2009 and 4.1 percent higher than the rate in April 2008.
Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 2,600 to 323,200. A total of 293,200 residents were employed and 29,900 were unemployed in April 2009. A 1,900 decrease in the number of employed residents along with an 800 decrease in the number of unemployed residents resulted in a 0.1 percent decrease in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate.
From April 2008 to April 2009, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 7,400 as the number of employed residents decreased by 20,400 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 12,800. The District’s April 2009 unemployment rate was 4.1 percent higher than the rate in April 2008.
The April 2009 national unemployment rate of 8.6 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was 0.4 percent lower than the rate in March 2009 and 3.8 percent higher than the rate in April 2008.
District of Columbia Job Growth
The number of District wage and salary jobs increased by 1,200 in April 2009. The private sector increased by 1,000 jobs, while the public sector increased by 200 jobs. Within the private sector, job gains were experienced in education and health services (+700 jobs), trade, transportation and utilities (+400 jobs), professional and business services (+300 jobs), financial activities (+200 jobs), and leisure and hospitality (+100 jobs). Job losses were noted in other services (-500 jobs) and information (-200 jobs). Meanwhile, manufacturing and mining, logging and construction were unchanged over the month. In the public sector, the federal government gained 100 jobs; transportation gained 100 jobs; while there was no change in District Government jobs this month.
In the last twelve months, the District gained a total of 2,300 jobs. The private sector lost 500 jobs and the public sector gained 2,800 jobs. The private sector growth occurred in educational and health services (+7,500 jobs). Job losses were experienced in professional and business services (-3,100), information (-1,600 jobs), trade, transportation and utilities (-1,000 jobs) financial activities (-900 jobs), mining, logging and construction (-500 jobs), manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, and other services lost (-300 jobs each). In the public sector, the federal government gained 2,700 jobs; transportation gained 100 jobs; while in the District Government jobs were unchanged.
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