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<< Previous   of   Next >> ELAINE THOMPSON / Associated Press  (click to enlarge) People wait in line to enter a job fair with employers and trade schools in Seattle on Tuesday. Washington's unemployment rate rose to 9.4 percent in May. ELAINE THOMPSON / Associated Press  (click to enlarge) Internal Revenue Service recruiter Christine Lorbeer (left) goes over employment information with Kris Williams at a Seattle job fair on Tuesday.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 County jobless rate jumps to 9.5% The number of people seeking unemployment benefits grew to 21,965. By Mike Benbow Herald Writer Snohomish County's unemployment rate rose to 9.5 percent in May as major companies continued to shed workers. "We're getting hits in our good-paying jobs here," said Donna Thompson, a regional labor economist with the state Employment Security Department. She noted that many county residents work for Microsoft, Starbucks and other big companies that have been cutting back. The county's 9.5 percent unemployment rate increased from 8.3 percent in April. The county's May jobless rate was slightly higher than the state average of 9.4 percent. "The economic numbers are volatile right now, and at times contradictory," said 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." Thompson noted that the number of people seeking jobless benefits in Snohomish County grew in May to 21,965, a 1.4 percent hike from April. The county lost 500 jobs in May in areas such as professional and business services, financial activities and hotels. Construction and retail trade reported small gains. Aerospace remained flat. Thompson noted that the county has lost 11,000 jobs during the past year for a 4.2 percent loss. Many of those jobs were in construction, which has lost 4,500 positions during the past year for a 20-percent loss. The jobless rate in the county is worse than in King, were unemployment was 8 percent in May, and better than in the Tacoma area, where the jobless rate last month was 10.1 percent. Mike Benbow: 425-339-3451, benbow@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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