Washington’s unemployment rate fell to 4.8% in September — the third straight decline. But the state still lost 15,400 jobs. And the state’s chief labor economist says AI is starting to show up in the numbers.
Anneliese Vance-Sherman joined The Gee and Ursula Show to explain what’s actually happening beneath the surface. The falling unemployment rate partly reflects a smaller labor force, not just more people finding work. The hardest-hit sectors — information and professional business services — are concentrated in Seattle. And for the first time, Seattle’s unemployment rate is running about the same as the state’s, which is unusual.
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