US labor market adds Washington jobs as weekly claims decline

Washington state reported the addition of 10,600 jobs in May, its strongest monthly gain this year, while the unemployment rate held steady at 5.2%, up from 4.5% a year earlier. The new jobs were concentrated in leisure and hospitality (4,800), manufacturing (2,200), construction (1,600) and the public sector (1,600), marking the largest one‑month surge since December.

At the national level, the weekly U.S. jobless claims report showed a decline, indicating that layoffs remain low despite higher borrowing costs and inflation pressures. Economists noted that skilled‑labor shortages across sectors such as healthcare, technology, manufacturing and construction are prompting employers to retain existing workers. The Federal Reserve continues to monitor these labor‑market indicators as part of its assessment of inflation and monetary‑policy stance.