Sep 30, 2014 2 min read

Unemployment rose for a second consecutive month in Washington and Greene counties.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry released seasonally adjusted figures for August Tuesday. They pegged Washington County’s rate at 5.8 percent, up 0.2 of a percentage point from July, and Greene’s at 4.7 percent, up 0.1 of a point.

Since June, Washington’s rate jumped 0.4 of a point, from 5.4 percent, and Greene’s edged up 0.2 of a point, from 4.5 percent. Washington County’s figure increased three of the past four months.

Washington’s August rate, however, was a full 1.0 point below 6.8 percent from the previous August. Greene’s figure was down 1.4 points, from 6.1 percent.

Both counties were under the national rate of 6.1 percent, and Greene was below the state jobless figure of 5.8 percent. Washington matched the state.

Washington was under the U.S. rate 18 of the past 19 months and at or below Pennsylvania’s figure for at least the past 23 months. Greene was below both sets of numbers for at least the past 23 months.

The job market in Washington County was a downer in August, as the labor force decreased by 100 from July, but 300 fewer people were working.

Washington is one of seven counties in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had 5.3 percent unemployment in August – the same as the previous two months. The MSA also includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland.

Unemployment increased in six of the seven. Beaver was the exception, dropping from 6.4 percent in July to 6.2. Washington’s 0.2 percent rise was the most precipitous in August; the other five counties went up 0.1 percent.

Still, the August MSA rate was down 1.3 points over the year.

At 6.2 percent, Allegheny and Butler tied for the lowest jobless rate in the MSA during August; Fayette had the highest (6.9).

Washington had the fourth-lowest rate, behind Allegheny, Butler and Westmoreland (5.5), and ahead of Beaver, Armstrong (6.7) and Fayette.

Of the 14 MSAs, State College had the lowest unemployment (4.2 percent) and Scranton-Wilkes-Barre the highest (6.8).

Nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA decreased by 3,200 in August to 1,165,300 and were up 6,900 for the year. Manufacturing jobs plummeted by 900 during the month and were down 3,400 for the year.

Jobs in educational services (1,600) and local government educational services (1,200) also declined in August, but with the resumption of classes, most jobs in those categories were expected to return to near previous levels.