OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington added an estimated 1,100 jobs last month, though the overall unemployment rate increased slightly from 9.1 to 9.2 percent.
The Employment Security Department says the professional and business services industry saw the biggest gains in March, adding 2,700 jobs. Other industries that experienced growth include wholesale trade, manufacturing and financial activities.
Washington has added more than 33,000 jobs since March 2010. In January, the state saw a jump of 11,000 nonagricultural positions, which officials say was the strongest month of job growth since late 2007.
The industries that took the biggest hit in March were construction, which lost 2,400 jobs, and education and health services, which lost 1,800.
Employment Security says more than 340,000 people were unemployed and looking for work last month. Nearly 229,000 people received unemployment benefits.
