(Washington, DC)  - The District of Columbia’s seasonally adjusted June 2009 unemployment rate was 10.9 percent, up 0.2 percent from the May 2009 rate, according to data released today by the DC Department of Employment Services (DOES).

The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate was 9.5 percent in June 2009, an increase of 0.1 percent from the May 2009 rate.

A total of 292,600 District’s residents were employed and 35,900 were unemployed in June.

District of Columbia Job Growth

Over the month, the total number of wage and salary jobs in the District increased by 400. Jobs in the public sector increased by 1,800, while those in the private sector decreased by 1,400.

Strong job gains were seen in several super sectors – including other services (+1,700), professional and business services (+500) and leisure and hospitality (+300 jobs) and information (+100), but were offset by losses in education and health services (-3,400 jobs), financial activities (-400 jobs), and trade, transportation and utilities (-200 jobs). Meanwhile, manufacturing and mining, logging and construction were unchanged over the month.

Other Services, one of the largest sectors of the District economy, includes political, civic, professional, grant making, and religious organizations.

In the public sector, the federal government added 1,800 jobs over the month, while the District Government and public transportation were unchanged.

Over the year, from June 2008 to June 2009, total non-farm employment decreased by 1,300 jobs.

The private sector growth over the year occurred in educational and health services (+5,000 jobs) and leisure and hospitality (+1,400) and other services (+600). Job losses over the year occurred in professional and business services (-4,900), trade, transportation and utilities (-1,800), information (-1,400), financial activities (-1,300), mining, logging and construction (-700), and manufacturing (-400). In the public sector, the federal government gained 2,100 jobs and the District Government added 100 jobs, while public transportation was unchanged. Overall, the private sector lost 3,500 jobs and the public sector gained 2,200 jobs from June 2008 to June 2009.

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

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June 2009 rose to 11.3 percent; up 0.6 percent from the rate in May 2009.
 
Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 5,900 to 332,700.  A total of 295,000 residents were employed and 37,700 were unemployed in June 2009.  A 3,200 increase in the number of employed residents along with a 2,700 increase in the number of unemployed residents resulted in a 0.6 percent increase in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate.
 
From June 2008 to June 2009, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 2,700 as the number of employed residents decreased by 17,500 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 14,800.

The June 2009 national unemployment rate of 9.7 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was 0.6 percent higher than the rate in May 2009.

Click in the attached for more information:

Employment Status for the Civilian Population District of Columbia*

District of Columbia Wage and Salary Employment by Industry and Place of Work*