The Wisconsin unemployment rate fell to 4.4 percent in April, down from 4.5 percent in March, according to preliminary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates released today by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
The national unemployment rate was 5 percent in April.
While the Wisconsin unemployment rate decreased in April, the labor force participation rate remained steady at 68.8 percent.
The DWD also today released data from the BLS’ more precise Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages, due for release June 8, which showed Wisconsin added 35,565 private sector jobs in 2015.
According to the state, the construction sector saw the largest increase, growing employment by 6.2 percent over the 12 months ending in December. Private sector employee wages were up 7.1 percent year-over-year.
“The latest monthly jobs and unemployment report continues to show an encouraging trend of long-term improvement, with the highest one-year gain in employment since September 1995 and record highs in both the number of people employed and the size of the labor force,” said Ray Allen, DWD secretary. “Other previously cited indicators, such as 2016 initial Unemployment Insurance running at their lowest level since 1989 and an unemployment rate consistently below the U.S., show Wisconsin has made great progress and is well-positioned for even more gains.”
Read more economic data reports on the BizTracker page.
