Oregon Public Broadcasting

A tight economy pushed Washington’s unemployment rate up slightly in November. But state officials have good news for Washington businesses.

Some will pay less into the state’s unemployment fund next year. Correspondent Doug Nadvornick reports.

Washington’s jobless rate is now 6.4 percent. That’s up a tenth of a point from October but remains lower than Oregon’s 8.1 percent unemployment rate.

Washington’s chief economist, Mary Ayala, blames job losses in construction. She says that’s responsible for nearly 90-percent of Washington’s layoffs this year.

Ayala told reporters in a conference call that she expects that trend to continue if Congress doesn’t act.

Mary Ayala: “Unless the stimulus package does something very soon, within the next month or two, we’ll still see some declining employment.”

There is some good news for businesses.

Washington’s Employment Security Department says the average unemployment tax rate for businesses will fall next year. That calculation is based on the number of workers a business laid off during the past four years.

Contrast the drop in Washington with Idaho’s unemployment tax situation. Businesses there will pay 70-percent more next year.