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MADISON – Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Ray Allen released the following statement following today’s U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) release showing Wisconsin had the 5th highest rate of growth in total nonfarm and manufacturing jobs over the month:
 
“One day after announcing Wisconsin’s unemployment rate has fallen to 3.2 percent, the lowest since February 2000, we now learn that our pace of manufacturing and total job growth has outpaced the vast majority of states over the month,” Secretary Allen said. “As employers continue to invest and create jobs in Wisconsin, we will continue to equip workers with the skills needed to fill available openings.”
 
Highlights of Friday’s BLS release of state-by-state employment and unemployment data for April 2017 include:

 

  • Wisconsin’s manufacturing growth rate ranked 5th highest in the nation month-over-month and 11th highest in the nation when compared to April 2016.
  • Wisconsin’s ranked 5th highest in the nation in total nonfarm job growth from March to April 2017, and 14th highest in private-sector job growth over that time.
  • Wisconsin’s unemployment rate of 3.2 percent is at its lowest point since February 2000, and is significantly lower than the national rate of 4.4 percent.
  • Wisconsin’s year-over-year unemployment rate decrease of 0.9 percent was statistically significant and the rate of decrease ranked 5th in the nation.
  • Wisconsin’s month-over-month unemployment rate decrease of 0.2 percent was statistically significant and the rate of decrease ranked 7th in the country.
  • The state added a significant 37,600 total non-farm jobs and a significant 29,300 private-sector jobs from April 2016 to April 2017.
  • Wisconsin added a significant 14,800 total non-farm jobs from March to April 2017, and a significant 37,600 total non-farm jobs year-over-year.

 

Other indicators of Wisconsin’s economy include:

 

  • Both total labor force and employment in Wisconsin remained at all-time high in April, while the number of unemployed individuals was its lowest point since April 2000.
  • Initial UI claims ended 2016 at their lowest level in their last 30 years. Year 2017 initial UI claims are running at their lowest levels since 1989.
  • Continuing unemployment claims ended 2016 at their lowest level since 1973. Continuing unemployment claims in Wisconsin are running the lowest in at least the past 30 years.

 

 

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