Friday, September 19, 2014
Washington, DC – The District of Columbia Department of Employment Services reported today that the preliminary August job estimates show a decrease of 14,900 jobs, for a total of 748,800 jobs in the District. The private sector decreased by 5,200 jobs, while the public sector payrolls decreased by 9,700 jobs. The August decrease in public sector jobs is mainly due to the end of the six-week-long Summer Youth Employment Program sponsored by the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services. The numbers are drawn from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) through its monthly survey of the District of Columbia’s employers.
The District’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in August was 7.6 percent; this rate is up by 0.2 percentage points from the revised July rate of 7.4 percent. The number of unemployed District residents increased by 800 from 27,500 in July 2014 to 28,300 in August 2014.
Based on more complete reporting from employers, previously released July estimates were revised upward to show an over-the-month (June-July) total non-farm employment increase of 12,100 jobs. The July revised unemployment rate is at 7.4 percent.
Employment Overview
- Trade, Transportation, and Utilities decreased by 400 jobs, after having no change in jobs in July. With employment at 30,800, jobs are up by 2,000 or 6.9 percent from a year ago.
- Professional and Business Services decreased by 3,700 jobs, after an increase of 1,100 jobs in July. With employment at 157,500, jobs are up by 800 or 0.5 percent from a year ago.
- Leisure and Hospitality decreased by 700 jobs, after a drop of 100 jobs in July. With employment at 70,200, jobs are up by 2,100 or 3.1 percent over the year.
- Financial Activities had no over-the-month job change, after a gain of 100 jobs in the prior month. With employment at 29,000, jobs are up by 200 or 0.7 percent from one year ago.
- Educational and Health Services decreased by 1,100 jobs, after an increase of 200 jobs in the prior month. With employment at 122,200, jobs are up by 4,000 or 3.4 percent from a year ago.
- Other Services increased by 500 jobs, after a decrease of 100 jobs the prior month. With employment at 69,900, jobs are up by 700 or 1.0 percent from a year ago.
- Construction increased by 100 jobs, after an increase of 100 jobs in July. With employment at 14,500, jobs are down by 200 or -1.4 percent from a year ago.
- Information had no over-the-month job change, after an increase of 100 jobs the prior month. With employment at 17,200, jobs are down by 200 or -1.1 percent from one year ago.
- Manufacturing increased by 100 jobs, after having no change in jobs the prior month. With employment at 900, jobs are down by 100 or -10.0 percent from one year ago.
Labor Force Overview
- The number of employed District residents decreased by 1,500 over the month to 342,200. The civilian labor force decreased by 700 to 370,500.
- One year ago, total employment was 337,300 and the civilian labor force was 368,000. The number of unemployed was 30,700, and the unemployment rate was 8.3 percent.
NOTES: The August 2014 final and September 2014 preliminary unemployment rate and survey of jobs data for the District will be released on Tuesday, October 21, 2014. Historical jobs and labor force estimates for the District of Columbia and detailed labor market information is here.
Technical Notes: Estimates of industry employment and unemployment levels are arrived through the use of two different monthly surveys.
Industry employment data are derived through the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey, a monthly survey of business establishments conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the US Department of Labor, which provides estimates of employment, hours, and earnings data broken down by industry for the nation as a whole, all states, and most major metropolitan areas (often referred to as the “establishment” survey).
Resident employment and unemployment data are mainly derived from the District’s portion of the national Current Population Survey (CPS), a household survey conducted each month by the US Census Bureau under contract with BLS, which provides input to the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program (often referred to as the “household” survey).
Both industry and household estimates are revised each month based on additional information from updated survey reports compiled by BLS. In addition, these estimates are benchmarked (revised) annually based on actual counts from the District’s Unemployment Compensation Law administrative records and other data.
Data reflects 2013 annual benchmark revisions.
Industry employment data is not seasonally adjusted.
