Whatcom County in Washington state recorded a rise in its unemployment rate for the fourth consecutive month in January. The county accounted for 6,492 unemployed people in January, an increase of 611 individuals from 5,881 in December, escalating the unemployment rate to 5.7% from 5.1%. A year-on-year comparison also revealed an increase, as the unemployment rate was 5.5% in January 2023, 0.2% lower than January 2024. The region’s unemployment rate had reached a peak of 17.4% in April 2020 and has been fluctuating since then. In January 2024, Ferry County recorded the highest unemployment rate of 11.1%, while King County reported the lowest at 4.4%.

The Washington State Employment Security Department shed light on the statewide unemployment scenario in their January 2024 monthly employment report. Washington state’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 4.2% in December to 4.6% in January. The report revealed that 183,847 people were unemployed statewide in January, an increase of 13,467 from December 2023. However, this was less than the 184,387 unemployed people recorded in January 2022. As of December 2023, Washington state’s unemployment rate was the 13th highest in the United States, as per a report by finance website, WalletHub. All data is sourced from the Washington State Employment Security Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For assistance with unemployment benefits or to check the status of an application, individuals can get in touch with California EDD. Californians facing unemployment can utilize the resources available at eddcaller.com to understand how to contact EDD or get a hold of EDD’s customer service. This site provides valuable information about the fastest way to get through to EDD and how to reach an agent at EDD, simplifying the process of obtaining much-needed unemployment assistance.