Tuesday, October 21, 2014
District’s Unemployment Rate at 7.7 Percent
Washington, DC – The District of Columbia Department of Employment Services reported today that the preliminary September job estimates show an increase of 5,700 jobs, for a total of 754,400 jobs in the District. The private sector increased by 5,100 jobs, while the public sector payrolls increased by 600 jobs. 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 preliminary unemployment rate in September was 7.7 percent. The number of unemployed District residents was up 400 from 28,400 in August 2014 to 28,800 in September 2014.
Based on more complete reporting from employers, previously released August estimates were revised downward to show an over-the-month (July-August) total non-farm employment decrease of 15,000 jobs. The August revised unemployment rate is at 7.7 percent, which is up 0.1 percentage point from the August preliminary rate of 7.6 percent.
Employment Overview
- Trade, Transportation, and Utilities decreased by 300 jobs, after a decrease of 400 jobs in August. With employment at 30,500, jobs are up by 1,500 or 5.2 percent from a year ago.
- Professional and Business Services decreased by 300 jobs, after a decrease of 3,100 jobs in August. With employment at 157,800, jobs are up by 2,800 or 1.8 percent from a year ago.
- Leisure and Hospitality increased by 500 jobs, after a drop of 900 jobs in August. With employment at 70,500, jobs are up by 1,800 or 2.6 percent over the year.
- Financial Activities decreased by 100 jobs, after having no change in jobs the prior month. With employment at 28,900, jobs are up by 100 or 0.3 percent from one year ago.
- Educational and Health Services increased by 6,100 jobs, after a decrease of 1,300 jobs in the prior month. With employment at 128,100, jobs are up by 1,900 or 1.5 percent from a year ago.
- Other Services decreased by 600 jobs, after an increase of 300 jobs the prior month. With employment at 69,100, jobs are down by 100 or -0.1 percent from a year ago.
- Construction decreased by 100 jobs, after an increase of 100 jobs in August. With employment at 14,400, jobs are up by 300 or 2.1 percent from a year ago.
- Information had no over-the-month job change, after having no over-the-month job change in the prior month. With employment at 17,200, jobs are up by 100 or 0.6 percent from one year ago.
- Manufacturing decreased by 100 jobs, after an increase of 100 jobs in the prior month. With employment at 800, jobs are down by 200 or -20.0 percent from one year ago.
Labor Force Overview
- The number of employed District residents increased by 2,800 over the month to 345,000. The civilian labor force increased by 3,300 to 373,900.
- One year ago, total employment was 337,600 and the civilian labor force was 367,600. The number of unemployed was 30,000, and the unemployment rate was 8.2 percent.
NOTES: The September 2014 final and October 2014 preliminary unemployment rate and survey of jobs data for the District will be released on Friday, November 21, 2014. Historical jobs and labor force estimates for the District of Columbia and detailed labor market information are available 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.
