01/25/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/25/2022 18:49
(Washington, DC) - The District of Columbia's Department of Employment Services reported today that the seasonally adjusted preliminary unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in December 2021; this was a decrease of 0.2 percentage points from the revised November 2021 rate of 6.0 percent.
"As we continue to adjust to the shifting economy, today's unemployment data reflects the resiliency of the District workforce," said DOES Director Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes. "DC is open, our recovery continues, and we remain committed to connecting Washingtonians to opportunities that lead to economic prosperity."
The District's preliminary December job estimates show a decrease of 200 jobs, for a total of 761,800 jobs in the District. The private sector decreased by 200 jobs. The public sector jobs remained the same. The numbers are drawn from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) through its monthly survey of the District of Columbia's employers.
The number of employed District residents increased by 900, from 388,100 in November 2021 to 389,000 in December 2021. The civilian labor force for the District decreased by 300 from 413,100 in November 2021 to 412,800 in December 2021. The labor force participation rate was unchanged from 70.5 percent in November 2021 to 70.5 percent in December 2021.
Employment Overview
Labor Force Overview
The number of unemployed was 36,000, and the unemployment rate was 8.8 percent.
NOTES: The December 2021 final and January 2022 preliminary unemployment rates, will be released on Monday March 14, 2022. Historical jobs and labor force estimates for the District of Columbia and detailed labor market information is available HERE.
Technical Notes: Estimates of industry employment and unemployment levels are determined through the use of two different monthly surveys.
Industry employment data is derived from the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey, a monthly survey of business establishments conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the US Department of Labor, which provides estimates of employment, hours, and earnings data broken down by industry for the nation as a whole, all states, and most major metropolitan areas (often referred to as the "establishment" survey).
Resident employment and unemployment data are mainly derived from the District's portion of the national Current Population Survey (CPS), a household survey conducted each month by the US Census Bureau under contract with BLS, which provides input to the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program (often referred to as the "household" survey).
Both industry and household estimates are revised each month based on additional information from updated survey reports compiled by BLS. In addition, these estimates are benchmarked (revised) annually based on actual counts from the District's Unemployment Compensation Law administrative records and other data.
Data reflects 2020 annual benchmark revisions.
Industry employment data is not seasonally adjusted.