Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Contact: August Cibarich, 608/266-0522

MADISON—The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) today announced the state’s seasonally- adjusted unemployment rate for the month of August was 3.5 percent, down two-tenths from the previous month.

Department of Workforce Development Secretary Jennifer Reinert said that she was encouraged by the state’s latest labor market information. "In August we had more people seeking work, more people finding work and fewer people losing work, all very encouraging news," Secretary Reinert said. "This is particularly positive news given the labor shortage we are currently facing in Wisconsin."

According to the Department of Workforce Development, the Wisconsin unemployment rate declined by two tenths of a percentage point seasonally adjusted as the number of unemployed dropped by more than 4,000 over the month. Meanwhile, officials said employment declined by less than it normally does in August with the adjusted figure increasing by 6,000 to 2,922,700.

The labor force also declined in August as a result of the upcoming school year. The decline was slightly less then we have experienced in recent years.

Non-farm wage and salary job totals increased by 2,500 after seasonal adjustment. Substantial gains occurred in the service, government, transportation, communication and public utilities industry groups. The manufacturing and trade sectors experienced declines. Changes were close to normal in the mining, construction, finance, insurance and real estate industries.

The national unemployment rate increased from July at 4.1 percent, marking the 151^st consecutive month that Wisconsin’s unemployment rate has been lower than the national rate.

NOTE TO NEWS MEDIA

County employment and unemployment figures for June should be available by September 20. This release and other labor market information is available on the department Internet site at: http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/dwelmi

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