Washington Unemployment Rate Drops to 5.6 Percent

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington state's unemployment rate dipped to 5.6 percent last month and the state added 20,000 jobs.

In the latest numbers released Wednesday by the Employment Security Department, the private sector added 14,300 jobs, while the public sector saw an increase of 5,700 jobs. The department noted that the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics show that September's rate was down slightly from August's revised 5.7 percent rate.

The national unemployment rate was 5 percent last month. The rate in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett area dropped from 4.1 percent in August to 3.9 percent in September.

The biggest job growth was seen in government, which added 5,700 new jobs, followed by education and health services at 5,000 jobs. Professional and business services added 4,400 jobs. Losses were seen in wholesale trade, which lost 600 jobs, and financial services, which lost 400.