State’s jobless rate holds steady at 5.8 percent

OLYMPIA — Washington state added an estimated 10,600 jobs last month and the unemployment rate is holding steady at 5.8 percent.

In numbers released Wednesday by the state Employment Security Department, officials said that February jobless rate matches January’s numbers. The national unemployment rate for February was 4.9 percent.

Officials said that during the one-year period ending in February, about 96,200 jobs have been added statewide. The biggest job gains in February were seen in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and retail. Government also saw an increase, as did information, other services, and transportation, warehousing and utilities

Job losses were seen in education and health services, wholesale trade and manufacturing.