Washington unemployment rate at 4.8 percent

OLYMPIA – Washington’s jobless rate increased slightly as the state added 3,900 jobs last month.

According to numbers released Wednesday by the Employment Security Department, the unemployment rate for March ticked up to 4.8 percent from the adjusted February rate of 4.7 percent.

Paul Turek, economist for the department, said in a written statement that the rate is still hovering “near historical lows.”

The largest job gains last month were seen in manufacturing retail trade and leisure and hospitality. The biggest reductions were seen in financial activities and construction.

“The department also announced that the unemployment rate for March rose slightly higher to 4.8 percent from the adjusted February rate of 4.7 percent.”

Job gains and losses are estimates based on a survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate counts the percentage of people who are unemployed and actively looking for work, and doesn’t include those who have stopped looking for work.

The national unemployment rate for March was 4.1 percent.