Washington employers continued adding jobs in November, while an increase in the number of people looking for work caused the unemployment rate to rise slightly to 5 percent, according to the Employment Security Department.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 4.8 percent in October.  At the same time, Washington employers added 4,900 nonfarm jobs (seasonally adjusted). 

Washington's unemployment rate for the first 11 months of 2006 was 4.9 percent, which is the lowest annual average rate in the state since 1999.

"This has been a great year on Washington's job front," said Governor Chris Gregoire. "Our unemployment rate remains low, which indicates that our citizens are competing well for the thousands of new jobs that our employers are creating."

Professional and business services continued to see gains, with 1,900 new jobs over the month.  Manufacturing added 1,600 new jobs; transportation, warehousing and utilities added 1,300; and construction added 600 jobs.

Industries with the largest declines were retail trade, with 800 fewer jobs, leisure and hospitality, minus 400, and natural resources, down 100. 

"The job numbers show a lot of strength and optimism in the economy," said Employment Security Commissioner Karen Lee.  "The number of jobs has grown in every month this year, and job seekers keep snatching them up."

On a yearly comparison, more than 88,500 net new jobs were created in Washington from November 2005 to November 2006.  Since November 2005, non-farm job growth in the state was 3.2 percent, compared to a national rate of 1.3 percent.

An estimated 166,251 people (not seasonally adjusted) currently are unemployed and seeking work in Washington.