Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

MADISON – The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) today announced the state’s preliminary seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for the month of March was 4.1 percent, which is down from 4.3 percent for the month of February.

In non-farm wage and salary figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment grew by 12,000 jobs between February and March. Durable goods manufacturing recorded decreases in employment levels, dropping some 2,400 jobs since February.

The seasonally adjusted rate for Wisconsin dropped below the national rate, in a reversal from February, when Wisconsin had a higher seasonally adjusted rate than the nation. The United States’ seasonally adjusted rate was reported to be 4.3 percent in March.

Employment normally increases dramatically during the summer months as seasonal jobs become available and state economists expect that to be the case this year. Terry Ludeman, the state’s chief economist, expressed concern that misperceptions about job prospects may cause some potential job seekers to stay out of Wisconsin’s labor market this summer creating an even greater labor shortage than the state has experienced in recent summers.

"Wisconsin still has a very low unemployment rate historically and we still need to attract quality workers to our job market," Secretary Reinert said. "Demographic changes in Wisconsin’s population make it difficult for state employers to find ample numbers of workers, especially over the summer months when workers will again be in great demand," she said.