State Jobless Rate Dips To 6.1% But Officials Question Accuracy Of Unexpected December Drop

Washington’s unemployment rate defied the odds in December, but analysts aren’t sure they believe the numbers.

The state unemployment rate dropped to 6.1 percent - down nearly half a percentage point from November and two-tenths of a point from a year ago, according to the Employment Security Department.

“While the state’s economy is showing healthy job growth, the drop in the rate is unprecedented for this time of year,” said Commissioner Vernon Stoner.

However, he added that the rate might be less accurate than usual because of the government shutdown, which shortened processing time and may have made data used to compute the rate less accurate.

“I would not be surprised to see the rate for December substantially revised,” Stoner said.

Spokane’s unemployment rate for December was 5.6 percent, but Fred Walsh, Employment Security’s regional labor economist, echoed Stoner’s concern that the real rate may differ when all the statistics are available.

The December rate compares with an adjusted November rate of 5.5 percent, and a rate of 5.3 percent in December 1994.

Walsh explained that typically, the unemployment rate climbs between November and December as seasonal activities like construction continue to shut down.

January and February are typically Spokane’s highest unemployment periods, he added.

Statewide, total non-farm employment increased by 11,500 workers reflecting the return to work of 22,300 striking Boeing workers and a 10,800 decline in other industries, according to Dennis Fusco, chief economist for the department.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Map: County-by-county monthly unemployment rates