District of Columbia's Unemployment Rate Rises to 5.7 Percent in May 2006 - Releases

(Washington, DC) The Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced that the District of Columbia's seasonally adjusted May 2006 unemployment rate was 5.7 percent, up 0.2 percent from the April 2006 rate. However, the May 2006 rate was 1 percent lower than the rate in May 2005.

“The May unemployment rate, although up from April, is at a fifteen year low and shows substantial over-the-year improvement in unemployment among District residents,” said Gregg Irish, director of the DC Department of Employment Services. “When you compare this month's rate to a year earlier, you find that there are now 2,900 fewer unemployed residents.”

The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in May 2006 was 4.6 percent; down 0.1 percent from the April 2006 rate and 0.5 percent lower than the May 2005, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate.

District of Columbia Civilian Labor Force, Employment, Unemployment and Unemployment Rate

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May 2006 was 5.7 percent; up 0.5 percent from the April 2006 rate and 1.3 percent lower than the 7.0 percent rate in May 2005.

Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 4,000 to 290,800. A total of 274,100 residents were employed and 16,700 were unemployed in May 2006. This represents a 2,300 increase in the number of employed residents, along with a 1,700 rise in the number of unemployed residents, which resulted in the 0.5 percent increase in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate.

From May 2005 to May 2006, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 3,200 as the number of employed residents increased by 800 and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 4,000. The District’s May 2006 unemployment rate was 1.3 percent lower than the 7.0 percent rate in May 2005.

The May 2006 national unemployment rate of 4.4 percent (not seasonally adjusted) was down 0.1 percent from the rate in April 2006 and 0.5 percent lower than the rate in May 2005.

District of Columbia Job Growth

The number of District wage and salary jobs decreased by 400 in May 2006. The private sector lost 1,200 jobs, while the public sector gained 800 jobs. In the private sector, educational and health services lost 2,900 jobs, and financial activities shed 100 jobs. Leisure and hospitality added 600 jobs; professional and business services added 500 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities and other services added 300 jobs each; and natural resources and construction increased by 100 jobs. Manufacturing and information were unchanged. In the public sector, the federal government added 500 jobs; the District government gained 200 jobs and transportation added 100 jobs.

In the last 12 months, the District gained a total of 10,900 jobs. The private sector added 12,500 jobs while the public sector lost 1,600 jobs. The private sector growth occurred in educational and health services (up by 4,200 jobs), professional and business services (up by 3,500 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 2,300 jobs), information (up by 1,300 jobs), trade, transportation and utilities and financial activities (up by 600 jobs each), and other services (up by 100 jobs). Natural resources and construction was unchanged over the year while manufacturing lost 100 jobs. In the public sector, the Federal Government lost 1,900 jobs and transportation lost 100 jobs while the District government gained 400 jobs.