Washington gained more than 71,000 jobs in June as businesses were able to reopen under Gov. Jay Inslee’s Safe Start plan, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department.

The retail trade sector posted the largest gain with 19,400 jobs in June. Leisure and hospitality added 18,100 jobs, and education and health services added 14,800.

“The gain in nonfarm payroll employment coupled with the revision to May’s job gains are a welcome surprise and another step in the right direction,” Paul Turek, economist for the department, said in a statement. “That said, the road ahead looks to be bumpy as the virus continues to spread, creating a less predictable situation for the economy reopening.”

The state’s preliminary seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate dropped to to 9.8% in June, compared to 15.1% a month prior. It’s the largest month-over-month drop in the state’s unemployment rate since 1990, according to data released Wednesday by the department. 

The national unemployment rate was 11.1% in June. It’s the first time since September 2014 the state unemployment rate was lower than the national rate, according to the department.

The department paid unemployment insurance benefits to 565,800 people in June, a decrease of 149,742 from the previous month. 

The state’s labor force was 3.9 million in June, an increase of 5,500 people from May. The labor force is the total number of people employed and unemployed older than 16.