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  We've got NEWS
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Governor
Jim Doyle
Secretary
Roberta Gassman
News Media Contact
Rose Lynch
608/266-6753
e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us
fax: 608/266-1784

JULY UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ANNOUNCED

Madison – Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today announced that July unemployment for Wisconsin was estimated to be 5.5 percent, unadjusted, down slightly from the 5.7 percent estimated for June. The national rate for July was estimated to be 6.3 percent down slightly from the 6.5 percent estimated for June. Wisconsin’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in July, unchanged from the June figure. The national seasonally adjusted rate was 6.2 percent in July, down slightly from the June figure of 6.4 percent.

"There are encouraging signs that the state’s employment picture is improving, "said Gassman. "Wholesale and retail trade show positive progress, which is especially good for the labor market in that manufacturing growth usually follows growth in this sector," added Gassman.

Wisconsin’s total nonfarm employment was 2,800,500 jobs, up some 4,800 from the July figure for 2002. Manufacturing continued to be slow for the state, with 518,900 jobs for July, compared to 533,300 manufacturing jobs in July 2002. Construction employment was down from one year ago in spite of continued accelerated home building. There were 127,000 jobs in construction in July in Wisconsin, compared to 135,700 one year ago.

Wholesale and retail trade showed signs of rebound. Wholesale trade was up 3,400 jobs from a year ago, and retail trade was up 2,700 jobs. Financial activities and professional, technical and business services were also up 3,900 and 5,500 jobs respectively. The educational and health care services were also up 4,900 jobs from one year ago, and leisure and hospitality industries was up 3,000 jobs and other services was up 6,300 jobs. The government sector was down very slightly from one year ago.

Claims, both initial claims and continued claims, for unemployment insurance continue to be high, slightly outpacing last year’s figures.

July employment and unemployment figures for individual counties will be available August 20. This release also is available at www.dwd.state.wi.us/lmi.

 

-end-

 

 

 

WISCONSIN LABOR FORCE SUMMARY
In Thousands

|

NET CHANGE FROM

|

PRELIM. |

FINAL |

YEAR AGO |

MONTH |

YEAR

ITEM

|

JULY 03 |

JUNE 03 |

JULY 02 |

AGO |

AGO

PLACE OF RESIDENCE DATA

|

CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE ..............................

|

3167.7

3165.7

3091.6

2.0

76.1

UNEMPLOYMENT ..........................................

|

175.4

181.9

164.5

-6.5

10.9

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE ..............................

|

5.5

5.7

5.3

-0.2

0.2

EMPLOYMENT (1) ..........................................

|

2992.3

2983.7

2927.1

8.6

65.2

PLACE OF WORK DATA

|

NONFARM WAGE & SALARY .....................…

|

2800.5

2831.2

2795.7

-30.7

4.8

TOTAL PRIVATE ..........................................…

|

2421

2412.6

2412.7

8.4

8.3

GOODS PRODUCING .....................................

|

650.5

648.8

673.3

1.7

-22.8

NATURAL RESOURCES & MINING ..............

|

4.6

4.6

4.3

0.0

0.3

CONSTRUCTION ........................................…

|

127

125.2

135.7

1.8

-8.7

MANUFACTURING .........................................

|

518.9

519

533.3

-0.1

-14.4

Durable Goods .........................................…

|

309.8

312.8

324.5

-3.0

-14.7

Nondurable Goods .......................................

|

209.1

206.2

208.8

2.9

0.3

SERVICE PRODUCING ..................................

|

2150

2182.4

2122.4

-32.4

27.6

TRADE ............................................................

|

441.1

439.6

435.0

1.5

6.1

Wholesale Trade ..........................................

|

119.1

118.7

115.7

0.4

3.4

Retail Trade ........................................……..

|

322

320.9

319.3

1.1

2.7

TRANS., WAREHOUSE, & UTILITIES ...........

|

103.6

106.6

102.2

-3.0

1.4

Utilities .................................................…….

|

11.5

11.6

12

-0.1

-0.5

Information ...............................................….

|

50.8

50.7

50.8

0.1

0.0

FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES .............................…

|

159.1

159.1

155.2

0.0

3.9

Finance and Insurance .................................

|

129.1

129.6

127.1

-0.5

2.0

Real Estate, Rental, & Lease .......................

|

30

29.5

28.1

0.5

1.9

PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS SERVICES ..

|

250.7

246.7

245.2

4.0

5.5

Prof., Scien., & Tech. Services .................…

|

89.8

89.1

88.1

0.7

1.7

Mgmt. of Companies and Enterprises ..........

|

33.2

32.3

32.9

0.9

0.3

Admin. Support & Waste Mgmt. Services ....

|

127.7

125.3

124.2

2.4

3.5

EDUCATIONAL & HEALTH SERVICES .........

|

362.1

362.8

357.2

-0.7

4.9

Educational Services ................................…

|

41.5

43.8

43.1

-2.3

-1.6

Health Care & Social Assistance ..............…

|

320.6

319

314.1

1.6

6.5

LEISURE & HOSPITALITY .............................

|

262.7

257

259.7

5.7

3.0

Arts, Entertain., & Recreation ...................…

|

43.1

40

40.5

3.1

2.6

Accommodation & Food Services ................

|

219.6

217

219.2

2.6

0.4

OTHER SERVICES, except Public Admin ......

|

140.4

141.3

134.1

-0.9

6.3

GOVERNMENT ..........................................….

|

379.5

418.6

383

-39.1

-3.5

Federal Government .................................…

|

28.5

28.7

29.5

-0.2

-1.0

State Government ........................................

|

91.7

95.9

91.1

-4.2

0.6

Local Government ........................................

|

259.3

294

262.4

-34.7

-3.1

PERSONS INVOLVED IN L-M DISPUTES ..…

|

470.0

470.0

0.0

0.0

470.0

(1) Includes L-M Disputes

---------------------------------------------------------------

CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE ...............................

|

3099.2

3101.1

3023.4

-1.9

75.8

UNEMPLOYMENT ..........................................

|

174.3

173.0

163.2

1.3

11.1

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE ..........................

|

5.6

5.6

5.4

0.0

0.2

EMPLOYMENT ..............................................

|

2925.0

2928.1

2860.2

-3.1

64.8

NONFARM WAGE & SALARY ........................

|

2799.0

2799.2

2794.9

-0.2

4.1



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