Washington Unemployment Rate Remains 5.8 Percent

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington state's unemployment rate is holding steady at 5.8 percent.

The latest numbers released Wednesday by the state's Employment Security Department show that the July rate remains unchanged from previous months. Private-sector employment decreased by 1,000 jobs from June to July, but government employment increased by 3,600 for a net gain of 2,600 jobs last month.

The national unemployment rate for July was 4.9 percent. Unemployment in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett area dropped from 4.6 percent in June to 4.4 percent last month.

Job gains and losses are estimates based on a survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate counts the percentage of people who are unemployed and actively looking for work, and doesn't include those who have stopped looking for work.