Wisconsin Job Growth Statistics Trending Upward; Growing Economy Cited in Report

MADISON – According to a report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wisconsin's economy experienced above-average job growth last month, and has seen an upward trend in job growth over the past year.

Department of Workforce Development Secretary Ray Allen released the following statement in response to the recent U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) preliminary data showing Wisconsin ranked second in the Midwest for rate of private sector jobs added in June 2016 and ranked fifth in the nation in the number of manufacturing jobs added from June 2015 through June 2016.

"As demonstrated by the state's statistically significant job growth year over year, employers are hiring and expanding right here in Wisconsin," Allen said.

Employment and unemployment data for June 2016 includes:

• Wisconsin ranked second in the Midwest in total number of private sector and manufacturing jobs gained in June 2016.
• Wisconsin's addition of 49,900 private sector jobs from June 2015 to June 2016 is outside the margin of error.
• Wisconsin added nearly 11,000 private sector jobs in June 2016 and ranked 10th in the nation.
• Wisconsin's labor force participation rate of 68.5 percent ranked 7th highest among all states.
• Wisconsin's unemployment rate of 4.2% is considered significantly lower than the nation's rate of 4.9% according to the BLS.
• Wisconsin ranked 3rd in the Midwest in private sector jobs gained over the year.

Other indicators of Wisconsin's growing economy include:

• Wisconsin was one of only 10 states with an annual average unemployment rate in 2015 lower than 2007, the year that the Great Recession began.
• Year 2016 initial UI claims are running at their lowest level since 1989.
• Continuing unemployment claims in Wisconsin are running the lowest in at least the past 30 years.
• Wisconsin's labor force participation rate outpaces the national rate by 5.8 percentage points.
• Wisconsin had the sixth-highest rate of growth in average weekly private sector wages from December 2014 to December 2015, according to Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages data.