Washington job growth reaches four year high

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington added more than 12,000 jobs in November. That drops the state unemployment rate to 8.7 percent.

In fact, employment statistics released Wednesday show that job growth has reached a four-year high in Washington.

The state has now gained jobs in 14 of the last 15 months. State labor economist Greg Weeks says the November numbers were especially surprising.

“The increase in jobs over the month and the falling unemployment rate is great news. Typically in November we seasonally expect to lose about 6200 jobs, but this month we gained 5900 jobs, which is pretty unusual,” Weeks said.

The unemployment report shows Washington’s public sector lost about 100 jobs in November and 7,000 in the last year. This report comes on the heels of Oregon announcing its 9.1 unemployment rate is the lowest in three years.

Copyright 2011 Northwest News Network