CONTACT: Dick Jones, Agency Liaison, 608-267-4780
On the web: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/newsreleases/ui_state_default.pdf
Unadjusted Data
MADISON – Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman announced today that Wisconsin’s unemployment rate for April was 8.8 percent, down 0.6 percentage points from March’s 9.4 percent. The April rate was 4.6 percentage points higher than the rate of 4.2 percent for Wisconsin in April of 2008. The national rate for April was 8.6 percent, compared to 9.0 percent in March and 8.9 percent in February. The national rate for April is 3.8 percentage points higher than the 4.8 percent recorded in April 2008.
“Workers and families across Wisconsin continue to feel the impact of the global recession and DWD is working hard to meet the employment needs of job seekers and employers in these challenging times,” Secretary Gassman said. “We are taking strong action through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to put people back to work, provide training, and connect workers with skills.”
From March to April, total Wisconsin non-farm jobs increased by an estimated 11,500 to 2,735,000, compared to 8,700 jobs lost in the February to March report. Goods Producers added 1,600 jobs, while Service Producers gained 9,900 jobs over the month. In the prior month comparison, Goods Producers lost 10,700 and Service Producers gained 2,000 jobs.
Over the year, April 2009 showed a decline of 128,300 Wisconsin non-farm jobs. Goods Producers were down 69,100, mostly in Manufacturing, which was down 52,700. Service sector jobs declined by 59,200 over the year, led by Professional & Business Services, which lost 28,500 jobs.
The April survey of Wisconsin households showed 17,300 more employed than in March, and 120,300 fewer employed than one year ago. Wisconsin’s civilian labor force fell 1,300 to 3,085,200 in April, an increase of 23,000 over April 2008.
Adjusted Data
The seasonally adjusted Wisconsin unemployment rate for April 2009 was 8.6 percent, up 0.1 percentage points from March 2009 and up 4.1 percentage points from April 2008. The national seasonally adjusted April rate was 8.9 percent, compared to 8.5 percent in March, 8.1 percent in February and 5.0 percent in March 2008.
Total state employment was up 700 over the month and down 100,300 over the year.
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