D.C. employment stops growing

Through tough economic conditions, D.C. employment has always pulled through. The trend, however, is beginning to come to a stand still.

“It’s a trend for us to watch,” says Deputy CFO Fitzroy Lee, the District’s chief economist. “It could indicate some weakness going forward.”

A new financial report from Lee’s office shows federal labor figures that are on a sharp reversal on several fronts.

Lee says that since October, the number of jobs in the District has actually declined.

The figures Lee notes, which represent jobs located within the borders of D.C., grew 42 months before October 2012.

Lee also observes that the number of employed D.C. residents has fallen in recent months, after showing growth for nearly two years.

According to Lee, federal government employee cuts are likely the culprit.