Washington experienced modest job growth in June, resulting in a 5.3 percent unemployment rate for the month, on a preliminary, seasonally adjusted basis, according to estimates by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This tracks with the national rate of 5.3 percent – and represents a small decrease in the unemployment rate since May 2015 when the unemployment rate was 5.4 percent. Washington’s unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in June 2014.

Unemployment in the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett area fell from 4.1 percent in May 2015 to 3.9 percent in June 2015.

Modest growth from May to June

The June Monthly Employment Report from the state Employment Security Department (ESD) estimates Washington gained 3,900 new jobs from May 2015 to June 2015 with 2,600 new private sector jobs and 1,300 in the public sector.

Eight sectors saw growth from May to June while four suffered losses and one remained unchanged. The top three sectors with the largest gains, on a seasonally adjusted basis, were:

·Professional and businesses services and transportation, warehousing and utilities with 1,700 new jobs respectively; and

·Retail trade with 1,600 new jobs.

Wholesale trade lost 2,600 jobs and financial activities and construction both lost 1,300 jobs respectively.

“Washington’s labor market experienced modest employment growth and a slight reduction in its unemployment rate for June, and is continuing to make progress,” said state labor economist Paul Turek. “At the same time, however, we saw our labor force decrease by 6,500 people. This movement out of the job market was unexpected but it reflects what happened this month at the national level. We’ll continue to monitor this, but one month does not a trend make.”

Labor force shrinks as does number of unemployed workers

Washington’s resident labor force dropped from 3.551 million people in May 2015 to 3.544 million in June 2015. The labor force is the total number of people, both employed and unemployed, over the age of 16.

The number of unemployed, or those who currently do not have a job but have actively looked for work in the last four weeks, dropped from 191,000 in May 2015 to 187,300 in June 2015. ESD paid unemployment benefits to 57,225 people.

Year-over-year growth remains strong

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates Washington gained 114,700 jobs from June 2014 to June 2015, on a not seasonally adjusted basis, with 100,900 new jobs in the private sector and 13,800 new jobs in the public sector.

From June 2014 to June 2015, 12 major industries saw growth and only one suffered losses. The top five industry sectors with the largest employment gains from June 2014 to June 2015, not seasonally adjusted, were:

·Professional and business services with 20,800 new jobs;

·Construction with 17,700 new jobs;

·Education and health services with 14,900 new jobs;

·Retail trade with 14,500 new jobs; and·Government with 13,800 new jobs.

The mining and logging industry lost 300 jobs from June 2014 to June 2015.