Tagged: Unemployment

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The number of people who are out of work in Washington is falling. It’s a sign the economy is recovering – albeit slowly. But it’s only been in the last two months that the government sector has started hiring again.

We've heard a lot of stories lately about the struggles of young, unemployed people with college degrees. A Washington State agency says the reason for that is a lot of students are choosing the wrong majors for this economy.

If they spent less time and money on school, they might have an easier time getting a job and make more money, at least in the short term.

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 unemployment rate for teens and young adults in Washington is one of the highest in the nation – and it’s especially tough on high school dropouts. That’s why state education leaders are trying to ramp up an effort to help students get diplomas and jobs or college placements at the same time.

It seems like everyone is talking about the J word lately. That would be JOBS. The President was on the road in the Midwest talking about them this week.

Now Democratic Senator Patty Murray spent a couple hours at a local Seattle factory talking about how to keep them, how to create them and how to train people for them.

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Thousands of Washington workers who have exhausted their unemployment benefits still do not have jobs.

An Employment Security Department report released Thursday shows that 75 percent of people who have run out of benefits since November 2009 are still out of work.

Washington's employment data is showing mixed signals about the direction of the state's economy.

New figures released Wednesday morning by the Employment Security Department show Washington's unemployment rate grew to 9.2 percent in June, even though a separate indicator showed that the state added 3,600 jobs.

Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 63. Forecast here.

Making headlines in the Northwest:

• Drunk boaters targeted this weekend
• Off the wire: Backlash against traffic cameras and more
• Unemployment checks going up between $3 and $13
• Edmonds concerts series kicks off July 10

In a new study, Washington teens are only slightly better off than teens in Georgia when it comes to unemployment rates, and that puts them second in the country for the worst employment opportunities.

The analysis of newly-released Census Bureau data by the fiscally conservative Washington, D.C.-based group Employment Policies Institute finds that 25 states have teen unemployment above 25 percent as of April. And, when data about discouraged job seekers is factored into the picture, 23 states have rates above 27 percent.

Washington’s rate plus the discouraged job seekers is 35.4 percent, the Institute reports.