MADISON – The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) today released the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) preliminary employment and unemployment estimates for the month of May 2020. The data shows that Wisconsin added 74,900 total non-farm and 72,100 private-sector jobs in the month of May. Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate in May was 66.6 percent, and the state’s unemployment rate fell to 12.0 percent, down from April’s revised rate of 13.6 percent.
- Place of Residence Data: Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate in May was 66.6, nearly 6 percentage points higher than the national rate of 60.8 percent. Wisconsin’s unemployment rate in May was 12.0 percent, 1.3 percentage points lower than the national rate of 13.3 percent.
- Place of Work Data: Wisconsin added 74,900 total non-farm jobs and 72,100 private-sector jobs from April 2020 to May 2020. From May 2019 to May 2020, Wisconsin total non-farm and private-sector jobs declined by 387,700 and 338,100 respectively.
“May’s job numbers show a strong increase in jobs, employment, and an unemployment rate that is more than a full percentage point lower than the national rate,” DWD Secretary Caleb Frostman said. “As Wisconsin’s economy continues to reopen, DWD stands ready to assist workers as they transition back to their former employer, or to new employment.”
Today’s full report can be viewed on DWD’s premier source for labor market information, WisConomy.com.
