Wisconsin lost 5,200 private sector jobs in November, including 3,300 in manufacturing, according to data released Thursday by the Department of Workforce Development.
The seasonally adjusted data did show overall employment increasing by 3,900 to 3,009,600. The state’s labor force participation rate held steady at 68.4 percent and unemployment remained at 4.1 percent.
“With employment at an all-time high, unemployment at its lowest point in 15 years and an increasing labor force, Wisconsin’s economy is headed in the right direction,” said Ray Allen, Department of Workforce Development secretary. “Wisconsin’s November unemployment rate is half a percentage point lower than the nation and our labor force participation rate outpaces the national rate by 5.7 percentage points showing signs of strength as we close 2016.”
The largest private sector job gains in the state were made in educational and health services, up 2,500 from October to November. Government employment was also up 3,300 with most of the increase coming at the local level.
Manufacturing’s drop was primarily concentrated in non-durable goods, which lost 2,200 jobs. Other recently released data showed manufacturing lagging behind state job growth between June 2015 and June 2016.
The data released Thursday also showed a slight upward revision to October jobs data, giving the state a gain of 6,600 private sector positions.
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