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Another potential factor behind the differences between state and national trends may reflect Washington’s relatively conservative approach to COVID-19 restrictions, said Hart Hodges, an economist and director of the Center for Economic and Business Research at Western Washington University.

“I wonder if some parts of the country are a little more cavalier about COVID and getting back to ‘normal’ while other parts — like us — are still being cautious,” Hodges said. “If so, we might expect slower job growth in the cautious areas.”