Unemployment rate drops slightly during November

Oak Harbor-area’s unemployment rate in November dropped slightly, to 5.4 percent, from 5.6 percent in October, according to figures released last week by the state’s Employment Security Department.

Oak Harbor-area’s unemployment rate in November dropped slightly, to 5.4 percent, from 5.6 percent in October, according to figures released last week by the state’s Employment Security Department.

The figures are not seasonally adjusted.

Washington state unemployment in November was also 5.4 percent, up from 5.0 percent in October.

The number stood at 5.5 percent for December. December numbers for Oak Harbor are regularly delayed by a month and so were not available. Nationwide, unemployment was 5.0 percent in December.

Greater Oak Harbor’s labor force stood at 31,916 in November, with 1,736 people unsuccessfully seeking employment.

Those numbers were 31,178 and 1,740, respectively, in October.