Employment Picture Slightly Improving in Yakima County

Some good employment news for Yakima County.  The jobless rate dropped a half of point from May of last year to May of this year. From 10.3 to 9.8 percent. Don Meseck, the Regional Labor Economist with the Employment Security Department says 800 jobs were added in the county this year.  The biggest increase of 500 jobs was in the retail trade industry, construction saw a 200 job increase and food services saw an increase of 200 jobs.

The biggest drop , 300 jobs in government includes federal, state and local agencies.
Statewide the jobless rate drop nearly 2 percent down to 6.6 percent.

"The drop is a good trend, but the State saw a much bigger drop from 8.3 to 6.6 percent. There's definitely some good news, both statewide and in Yakima County."

Last May there were 76,700 people working, this May there were 77,500 people working.
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