County jobless rate rises, state rate drops

Data released by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) earlier this month shows a decrease in the state and national unemployment rate, while the Whitman County rate saw a 1.4 percent increase in a month's time.

The national unemployment rate dropped from 5.5 percent to 5.3 percent, and the state rate also dropped slightly from 5.4 to 5.3 percent, now matching the national average. The new average puts the state at the lowest unemployment rate in seven years.

The report from the BLS explained the impact of the slight decrease in the unemployment rate, indicating it accounts for an increase in 3,900 jobs to the state’s labor force. The 5.3 percent rate also shows improvement from the state’s 6.1 percent average this same time last year.

Numbers released in June to reflect the May unemployment rate showed Whitman County with one of the lowest rates in the state, below both the state and national average. However, that number now rests above both of those figures, jumping from 4.4 percent in May to 5.8 percent in June.

The May rate had the county sitting with the third lowest unemployment rate in the state, only behind King and Snohomish counties, but the most recent estimate has put Whitman County in a three-way tie for the 10th slot.

The increase in the unemployment rate is not cause for concern, though, said Doug Tweedy, labor economist for Whitman County out of Spokane.

"June, July and August are always higher unemployment times for Whitman County because of Washington State University. That's just a seasonal trend," he said. "We expect that number to start coming down in August or September."

Tweedy said that 1.4 percent increase in the unemployment rate accounts for a decrease in approximately 5,000 jobs. However, he said, the 5.8 percent unemployment rate actually shows a positive trend.

With an increase in manufacturing jobs up eight percent from this time last year, the unemployment rate for the tougher summer months is actually going down in the county.

"It's actually better than it was a couple of years ago because of the manufacturing jobs," Tweedy said.

The unemployment rate in June sat at 7.6 percent two years ago and at 5.8 percent in 2014.

"Whitman County in general has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state," Tweedy said. "It's tougher to find a job in the summer there, but it's also starting to diversify."

State unemployment data for July will be released on Aug. 19, followed by county numbers on Aug. 25.