The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics preliminary estimates have Washington’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropping to 5.6 percent for the month of September.

County figures have not been released, but are expected to be out next week. Seasonally unemployment rates for the month August had Grays Harbor County at 8.8 percent, and Pacific County at 7.6 percent.

The main catalyst impacting the slight dip from the 5.7 percent State seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in August was the addition of 20,000 jobs added to the labor force.

The private sector added 14,300 jobs and the public sector gained 5,700 jobs according to the Monthly Employment Report from Washington’s Employment Security Department. The greatest job growth occurred in government with 5,700 new jobs followed by education and health services with 5,000 new jobs created and professional and business services with 4,400. Financial services lost 400 jobs and wholesale trade shed 600.

The unemployment rate in the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett area dropped from 4.1 percent in August to 3.9 percent in September. The national unemployment rate increased to 5 percent.