The District's Unemployment Rate Drops to 5.4 Percent in June 2006 - Releases

(Washington, DC) The Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced that the District of Columbia's seasonally adjusted June 2006 unemployment rate declined by 0.3 percent to 5.4 percent. Over the year, the rate decreased by a substantial 1.1 percent.

The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in June 2006 was 4.6 percent; unchanged from the May 2006 rate and 0.4 percent lower than the June 2005, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate.

District Job Growth

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

Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 4,600 to 296,700. A total of 275,900 residents were employed and 20,800 were unemployed in May 2004. With the number of unemployed residents increasing to 600, coupled with a reduction of 5,200 employed residents, resulted in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rising by 0.3 percent to 7.0 percent.

The District’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May was 7.5 percent; one-tenth of a percent higher than April’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate and 0.5 percent higher than the rate in May 2003.

The May 2004 national unemployment rate of 5.3 percent, not seasonally adjusted, was one-tenth of a percent lower than the April 2004 unemployment rate and half a percent lower than the May 2003 rate.

The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in May 2004 was 5.6 percent; the same as in April 2004 and 0.5 percent lower than the May 2003, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate.

From May 2003 to May 2004, the District’s civilian labor force decreased by 3,800. The numbers of employed residents decreased by 5,000 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 1,200 from the prior year. The District’s May 2004 unemployment rate was 0.5 percent higher than the 6.5 percent rate in May 2003.

District Job Growth

The number of District wage and salary jobs decreased by 600 in June 2006. The private sector lost 2,500 jobs while the public sector gained 1,900 jobs. In the private sector, educational and health services lost 5,700 jobs and leisure and hospitality shed 500 jobs. Professional and business services added 2,500 jobs; other services added 500jobs; financial activities and information gained 200 jobs each; and trade, transportation and utilities, natural resources and construction, and manufacturing increased by 100 jobs each. In the public sector, the federal government added 2,300 jobs; the District government lost 400 jobs and transportation was unchanged.

In the last 12 months, the District gained a total of 7,900 jobs. The private sector added 10,500 jobs while the public sector lost 2,600 jobs. The private sector growth occurred in professional and business services (up by 3,700 jobs), educational and health services (up by 2,200 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 2,100 jobs), information (up by 1,200 jobs), financial activities (up by 600), trade, transportation and utilities (up by 500), and Natural resources and construction and other services (up by 100 jobs each). Manufacturing was unchanged over the year. In the public sector, the federal government lost 2,200 jobs; the District government lost 400 jobs and transportation lost 100 jobs.