Wisconsin’s unemployment rate dipped to 5.6 percent in August, down from 5.8 percent in July, on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released today.
The 5.6 unemployment rate for the state is the lowest since October of 2008 and remains lower than the national unemployment rate of 6.1 percent, according to the state Department of Workforce Development.
“The state’s unemployment rate has dropped to 5.6 percent in August as more people entered the labor force, more people became employed and the number of unemployed individuals declined,” said DWD Secretary Reggie Newson. “These are all positive signs that our economy is growing and Wisconsinites are getting back to work.”
However, the state’s job growth for August was a mixed bag.
The number of private sector jobs in the state fell by 4,300 during the month on a seasonally adjusted basis. But the state’s job picture was bolstered by public sector hiring during August. The state had an increase of 7,700 government jobs during the month, including 7,300 jobs in local government, on a seasonally adjusted basis.
The August numbers are preliminary estimates. The state’s July private sector job count was adjusted upward by 2,100.
The state added 13,100 private sector jobs during the first seven months of the year, and the state has added 29,600 private sector jobs since August of 2013, on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the DWD.
