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Tony Evers, Governor
Amy Pechacek, Secretary

Department of Workforce Development
Secretary's Office
201 E. Washington Avenue
P.O. Box 7946
Madison, WI 53707-7946
CommunicationsOffice@dwd.wisconsin.gov Telephone: (608) 266-3131
Fax: (608) 266-1784
Email: sec@dwd.wisconsin.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 14, 2023
CONTACT: DWD Communications
CommunicationsOffice@dwd.wisconsin.gov

BLS Data: Total Nonfarm Jobs Hit Record High for Second Month

MADISON – The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) today released the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) job totals for the month of August 2023, which showed Wisconsin's total non-farm jobs reached another record high at 3,012,400. This is 32,800 more jobs than a year ago and an increase of 5,700 over the July 2023 nonfarm job total.

"In August, Wisconsin reached an historic high in total nonfarm jobs for the second straight month, continuing an economic winning streak that included a record-low monthly unemployment rate and number of unemployed individuals during 2023," DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek said. "While these numbers are incredibly positive, they call out the need to remove employment barriers such as a lack of quality, affordable child care. To maintain the state's historic economic momentum and support working families and employers, we need to continue investing in priorities such as child care, expanded paid family and medical leave, higher education, and targeted sectors such as health care and education."

Preliminary employment estimates for August 2023 showed Wisconsin's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.9%. The labor force grew by 8,800 and employment increased 300 over the month of August. The state's total labor force participation rate increased to 65.7%.

Nationwide for the month of August, the U.S. unemployment rate was 3.8%, 0.9 percentage points above Wisconsin's rate, and the national labor force participation rate of 62.8% was 2.9 percentage points below the state rate.

Place of Residence Data: Wisconsin's unemployment rate was 2.9% in August. The number of unemployed people increased 8,400 over the month and decreased 5,400 over the year to 89,500. The labor force gained 8,800 workers over the month for a total labor force of 3,133,500. The number of Wisconsinites employed increased 300 in August for a total of 3,044,000 employed.
Place of Work Data: Total nonfarm jobs increased 5,700 in August to a new high of 3,012,400, an annual increase of 32,800. Private sector jobs increased by 6,600 over the month and 34,300 over the year. Healthcare and social assistance jobs grew 2,600 over the month and 12,900 over the year.

Today's full report can be viewed on DWD's premier source for labor market information, WisConomy.com.

View Wisconsin Labor Force Summary

ABOUT DWD

Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development efficiently delivers effective and inclusive services to meet Wisconsin's diverse workforce needs now and for the future. The department advocates for and invests in the protection and economic advancement of all Wisconsin workers, employers, and job seekers through six divisions – Employment and Training, Vocational Rehabilitation, Unemployment Insurance, Equal Rights, Worker's Compensation, and Administrative Services. To keep up with DWD announcements and information, sign up for news releases and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.