Wisconsin lost 7,000 private sector jobs in May but the state’s labor force participation rate improved and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 2.4%, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, according to the latest figures from the state Department of Workforce Development.
The employment decline was primarily driven by the seasonally adjusted loss of 5,100 jobs in the accommodation and food services sector. Nondurable goods manufacturing also shed 2,700 positions, transportation, warehousing and utilities lost 1,500 jobs and financial activities and health care and social assistance both shed 1,200 jobs each.
Those losses were partially offset by a gain of 3,400 positions in retail trade and 1,200 jobs in arts, entertainment and recreation.
While the employment figures, which come from a survey of businesses, showed the state losing jobs, data on the labor force, which come from a survey of households, showed a rosier picture.
Wisconsin’s total labor force grew by 14,400 people from April to May, helping to push the state’s labor force participation rate to 65.1%
The state’s labor force participation rate has been trending up in recent months, increasing 0.6 percentage points since February. The rate has not seen an increase of that size over a four-month period since late 1993.
May’s increase also makes three straight months of increases, the first time since late 2015 and early 2016.
