Wisconsin’s unemployment rate ticked up slightly in May from 2.8% to 2.9% as the number of people classified as unemployed increased by 600, according to data released by the state Department of Workforce Development.
The state also added 1,800 private sector jobs and overall employment was up 1,300. Data on job counts comes from a survey of employers while overall employment figures come from a survey of households.
The household data showed 89,900 people classified as unemployed in May, up from 89,300 in April while the overall labor force increased 1,900 to 3,149,200. The shift was enough to push the percentage considered unemployed from 2.837% to 2.855%.
Weekly unemployment claim data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics did show an uptick in unemployment from April to May, even as companies have faced inflation and economic uncertainty. In April, initial unemployment claims averaged around 4,000 per week compared to 3,200 in May.
Continuing unemployment claims averaged around 24,850 in April and roughly 16,600 in May.
The latest unemployment claim data for the week ending June 11 did show higher initial claims at 4,400.
Dennis Winters, chief economist at DWD, attributed the increase to a seasonal blip related to the Memorial Day holiday. He said a similar phenomenon happens around the Fourth of July.
Job growth in May was driven by service sectors with professional and business services adding 2,400 positions, accommodation and food service adding 900 jobs and the other services category adding 1,500 positions
On the goods producing side, the construction sector dropped 1,700 positions and durable goods manufacturing was down 1,500.
