Department of Workforce Development

MADISON – The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) today announced the state’s preliminary unemployment rate for the month of August dropped to 3.9 percent, down one-half of a percentage point from the month of July, which stood at 4.4 percent. The national rate for August was 4.9 percent, which is up from 4.7 percent in the month of July. The State’s seasonally adjusted rate was reported at 4.3 percent in August, down from 4.4 percent in July. Wisconsin’s average unemployment rate for August in the period from 1990 through 2000 was 3.7 percent.

"Overall last month we saw significant improvement in Wisconsin unemployment as the rate fell one-half of a percentage point to 3.9 percent," said DWD Secretary Jennifer Reinert. "Unfortunately, the state’s positive movement in unemployment last month did not translate into positive employment growth, as statewide employment dipped by some 3,100 jobs," she added.

Wisconsin’s nonfarm wage and salary jobs dropped to 2,850,800 from 2,853,900 in July. The number of jobs was also down from one year ago, when the total number of jobs was reported at 2,857,300. Employment in construction and mining dropped 600, while in manufacturing it was off 1,700 jobs from the July figures.

There was a decrease in government employment of 4,500 between July and August. This is a normal seasonal occurrence. Finance, insurance and real estate lost about 300 jobs between July and August, also a normal seasonal occurrence. Trade increased by 3,100 jobs, near the normal seasonal increase. The service industry, which normally sees an increase of about 3,400 between July and August, reported an increase of 400 jobs.

While the nation saw an increase in initial claims for unemployment insurance between July and August, Wisconsin’s initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased slightly. The number of people reported as unemployed dropped from 138,000 in July to 121,300 in August, while the number of people employed also dropped. There were 2,989,500 Wisconsin residents reported as employed in July, while there were 2,957,900 reported as employed in August.

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