Snohomish County’s jobless rate rose to 9.5 percent in May after seeing a decline in April, according to data released by the state Tuesday.
The county’s unemployment rate slight exceeds that of the state, which reported a 9.4 percent rate for May. The state said Tuesday that employers eliminated 6,700 jobs last month.
Snohomish County had seen its unemployment drop to 8.4 percent in April, but regional economist Donna Thompson had suspected the decline was due to inaccurate numbers rather than an improved economy. On Tuesday, Thompson was proved correct. The county shed another 500 jobs last month.
“The economic numbers are volatile right now, and at times contradictory,” said Dr. Greg Weeks, who heads Employment Security’s labor-market information office. “The recession has been deep and wide, and we’re likely to see ups and downs for awhile.”
