State’s labor force, employment reach record highs

Posted at 2 p.m. on July 19, 2018

Jobless rate stays at historic low levels

The Brillion News

MADISON – The state Department of Workforce Development (DWD) on July 19 released the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revisions for May 2018 and preliminary estimates for June covering the employment and job statistics for Wisconsin.

The number of people employed in Wisconsin as well as the number of active participants in the state’s labor force reached record highs in June, and the data showed that Wisconsin gained both total non-farm (+7,400) and private-sector (+5,500) jobs from May 2018 to June, and a significant 17,600 manufacturing jobs over the year.

Since December 2010, Wisconsin has added over 48,000 manufacturing positions. May 2018 data was revised, from a loss of 4,700 total non-farm jobs to a gain of 100, and a loss of 5,300 private-sector jobs to a loss of 800. Wisconsin’s labor force increased by 3,300 people over the month, bringing the number of active participants in Wisconsin’s labor force to 3,092,100. This increase in active job seekers contributed to the slight increase in Wisconsin’s unemployment rate, from a record low of 2.8 percent in April and May to 2.9 percent in June.

For the first time in state history, Wisconsin’s unemployment rate has remained under three percent for five consecutive months.