Spokane jobless rate drops to 6 percent

The unemployment rate for Spokane County fell to 6 percent in April. It was 6.6 percent in April 2014. The number reflects the steady job gains this year after months of tepid job growth. The Washington unemployment rate stood at 5.5 percent. The job market is especially hot in the Seattle area: King County’s unemployment rate for April is 3.3 percent. The Spokane jobless rate is the lowest since the economic collapse of late 2008, said regional labor economist Doug Tweedy. There are more jobs in professional and business services, health care, retail and hospitality, and government and education. The manufacturing sector is up a bit, but there’s a mix of some companies hiring and others reducing payroll, Tweedy said. First-time unemployment claims have fallen by half since the peak in 2009. “The opportunities are growing for people looking for work,” he said.