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The District's March Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly to 6.8 Percent
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(Washington, DC) Today, Gregg Irish, director of the Department of Employment Services (DOES) announced that the District of Columbia's March 2004 unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) rose slightly to 6.8 percent, up 0.1 percent from the February 2004 revised rate of 6.7 percent. The March 2004 rate was unchanged from the rate in March 2003.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March 2004 was 6.9 percent; 0.7 percent higher than the 6.2 percent revised rate in February 2004 and unchanged from the rate in March 2003.
“The March increase resulted from additional persons entering the labor force, as well as those joining the ranks of the unemployed over the month. The March (not seasonally adjusted) labor force statistics showed positive over-the-year movement in the District’s civilian labor force, which grew by 800 and showed an increase in the number of employed residents. The positive over-the-year growth in wage and salary employment statistics showed that jobs continued to expand,” stated Director Irish.
District of Columbia Civilian Labor Force, Employment, Unemployment and Unemployment Rate
Over the month, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 400 to 302,600. A total of 282,100 residents were employed and 20,500 were unemployed in March 2004. The culmination of 400 more unemployed residents coupled with no change in the number of employed residents, resulted in the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rising by 0.1 percent to 6.8 percent.
The District’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March was 6.9 percent; seven-tenths of a percent higher than February’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate and equal to the rate in March 2003.
The March 2004 national unemployment rate of 6.0 percent, not seasonally adjusted, was unchanged from the February 2004 unemployment rate and two-tenths of a percent lower than the March 2003 rate.
The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate in March 2004 was 5.7 percent; one-tenth of a percent higher than in February 2004 and one-tenth of a percent lower than the March 2003, seasonally adjusted, national unemployment rate.
From March 2003 to March 2004, the District’s civilian labor force increased by 800. The numbers of employed residents increased by 800 and the number of unemployed residents increased by 100 from the prior year. The District’s March 2004 unemployment rate equaled the 6.8 percent rate in March 2003.
 
District Job Growth
The number of District wage and salary jobs increased by 6,900 in March 2004. The gain was due to a 5,000 increase in the private sector and a 1,900-job gain in the public sector. The private sector gain was due to a 1,800 increase in leisure and hospitality and other smaller gains throughout. Educational and health services increased by 900, professional and business services gained 600 jobs, other services added 500 jobs, natural resources and construction and financial activities each gained 400 jobs, information increased by 200 jobs, and manufacturing and trade, transportation and utilities posted job gains of 100 each. In the public sector, the Federal government gained 1,000 jobs while the District government gained 900 jobs and public transportation was unchanged.
In the last 12 months, the District gained a total of 5,200 jobs. The private sector registered an increase of 6,300 jobs, while the public sector lost 1,100 jobs. The private sector growth was concentrated in professional and business services (up by 4,000 jobs), educational and health services (up by 2,300 jobs), and leisure and hospitality (up by 1,100 jobs). Natural resources and construction gained 400 jobs and financial activities added 300 jobs while trade, transportation and utilities was unchanged. The remaining private sector industries lost jobs over the year with the largest reductions in information (down by 1,000 jobs) and other services (down by 700 jobs). In the public sector, the Federal Government lost 900 jobs while the District Government and transportation each lost 100 jobs.
Washington Metropolitan Area Civilian Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment Rate
The civilian labor force in the suburban ring of communities surrounding the District of Columbia increased by 10,000 in March 2004 as employment rose by 14,200 and the number unemployed decreased by 4,200. The unemployment rate in the suburban ring, at 2.6 percent in March, was two-tenths of a percent lower than the February 2004 rate.
Over the last 12 months, the number of employed residents in the suburban ring rose by 80,000. With 15,900 fewer unemployed suburban residents, the suburban civilian labor force rose by 64,200. The suburban ring’s March 2004 unemployment rate of 2.6 percent was seven-tenths of a percent lower than the 3.3 percent rate in March 2003.
For the Washington Metropolitan Area, the civilian labor force increased by 10,400 in March 2004. The number of employed residents in the metropolitan area rose by 14,200, and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 3,800. The metropolitan area’s unemployment rate at 3.0 percent in March 2004 was two-tenth of a percent lower than the February 2004 rate of 3.2 percent.
Compared to March 2003, the Metropolitan Area’s civilian labor force rose by 65,000. Employment increased by 80,800, with 15,800 fewer unemployed. The Washington Metropolitan Area’s 3.0 percent March 2004 unemployment rate was seven-tenths of a percent lower than the March 2003 rate of 3.7 percent.
Washington Metropolitan Area Job Growth
Total wage and salary employment in the Washington Metropolitan Area increased over the month in March 2004 by 26,600. The private sector gained 22,600 jobs and the public sector added 4,000 jobs. The increase in the private sector resulted from gains throughout. The largest gains were in professional and business services (up by 4,900 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 4,300 jobs), natural resources, mining and construction (up by 3,600 jobs), other services (up by 3,100 jobs), educational and health services (up by 2,600 jobs), trade, transportation, and utilities (up by 2,500 jobs), and financial activities (up by 1,000 jobs). Manufacturing and information registered gains of 400 and 200, respectively. In the public sector, state government gained 1,900 jobs; the federal government added 1,100 jobs and local government increased 1,000 jobs.
During the past twelve months, the Washington Metropolitan Area gained 60,600 jobs. The private sector gained 51,900 jobs and the public sector added 8,700 jobs. The major sources of job growth in the private sector were professional and business services (up by 21,400 jobs), trade, transportation, and utilities (up by 11,000 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up by 8,300 jobs), natural resources, mining and construction (up by 7,800 jobs) and financial activities (up by 4,200 jobs). Private sector gains were also registered in other services (up by 2,100 jobs) and educational and health services (up by 1,600 jobs). Meanwhile, the manufacturing and information industries continued to report job losses –manufacturing lost 2,400 jobs, while information shed 2,100 jobs. In government, local government added 8,300 jobs and the federal government gained 2,500 jobs while state government lost 2,100 jobs.
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