Economists Say WA Job Numbers Too Good to be True - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

Economists Say WA Job Numbers Too Good to be True

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Kevin Shaub, News Anchor - bio | email

OLYMPIA, Wash. -Economists with the state Employment Security Department say the latest job numbers may be too good to be true. 

The new numbers show the state reportedly gained more than 24,000 jobs in January, but the state economists say that number is too high to be accurate. 

The Employment Security Department says it's been more than 17 years since the state saw that much job growth in one month. 

The economists say the numbers are likely to be revised. 

The new jobs report shows Washington's unemployment rate remains unchanged at 7.5 percent. 

An estimated 261,000 people in Washington were unemployed and looking for work in January, including more than 151,000 who claimed unemployment benefits.

 More than 3,300 unemployed workers ran out of unemployment benefits last month. A total of 128,808 people have exhausted their benefits since extended benefits were activated in July 2008.

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