Maryland, Virginia shed jobs in October amid government shutdown; D.C. job growth stalls Virginia lost 5,400 jobs in October as its jobless rate held steady at 5.6 percent. The commonwealth's steepest loss was in the professional services category, which cast off 8,000 positions. The job losses in the professional services sector, which includes the region's throngs of government contractors, could be another sign that federal budget cuts are weighing on the Washington area labor market. And even as Virginia and Maryland's unemployment rates remained unchanged, both jurisdictions saw a decrease in labor force, meaning that many people likely gave up looking for work. The District's labor market was practically at a standstill in October, with no overall gain or loss in positions. It shed 500 jobs in the professional services sector and lost 300 positions in the education and health services industry. However, it added jobs in some other sectors, such as trade and transportation, which gained 400 positions. The District's unemployment rate steadily declined throughout 2012, but the jurisdiction has struggled to continue that trajectory this year. The jobless rate leaped to 8.9 percent in October from 8.6 percent in September. That is the highest level of unemployment registered in the District since August 2012. These are poor numbers. The real question is, what do these numbers signify?" said Anirban Basu, chief executive of Sage Policy Group, a Baltimore economic consulting firm. If these numbers are merely an indication of the dislocation that occurred prior to and during the government shutdown, these numbers are not nearly as meaningful. If however, those numbers reflect the beginning of a trend...that, of course, would be more problematic. The Labor Department does not typically release two months" worth of economic data at once. However, the department had to rearrange its schedule after the government shutdown put its work on hold for much of October. The department released state employment reports for both September and October on Friday. The national unemployment rate fell to 7.2 percent in September, only to inch back up to 7.3 percent in October. Jobless rates increased in 11 states and fell in 28 states. They were unchanged in 11 states. The highest level of unemployment, 9.3 percent, was recorded in Nevada. The lowest jobless rate, 2.7 percent, was recorded in North Dakota.