CONTACT: Chris Marschman, Communications Specialist, 608-261-6705
On the web: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/newsreleases/2009/unemployment/0309_state_lmi.pdf
Unadjusted Data
MADISON – Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman announced today that Wisconsin’s unemployment rate for March was 9.4 percent, up 0.6 percentage points from February’s 8.8 percent and January’s 7.7 percent. The March rate was 4.4 percentage points higher than the rate of 5.0 percent for Wisconsin in March of 2008. The national rate for March was 9.0 percent, compared to 8.9 percent in February and 8.5 percent in January. The national rate for March is 3.8 percentage points higher than the 5.2 percent recorded in March 2008.
“The March unemployment rate reflects the challenges we currently face, not only in Wisconsin, but around the globe,” Secretary Gassman said. “The reality of these difficult economic times weighs heavily on many families across the state. That’s why 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 February to March, total Wisconsin non-farm jobs decreased by an estimated 8,700 to 2,724,500, compared to 19,400 jobs lost in the January to February report. Goods Producers shed 10,700 jobs, while Service Producers gained 2,000 jobs over the month. In the prior month comparison, Goods producers lost 14,800 and Service Producers lost 4,600 jobs.
Over the year, March 2009 showed a decline of 112,400 Wisconsin non-farm jobs. Goods Producers were down 64,600, mostly in Manufacturing, which was down 48,600. Service sector jobs declined by 47,800 over the year, led by Professional & Business Services, which lost 28,300 jobs.
The March survey of Wisconsin households showed 35,000 fewer employed compared to February, and 115,700 fewer employed than one year ago. Wisconsin’s civilian labor force fell 18,100 to 3,086,600 in March, an increase of 21,000 over March 2008.
Adjusted Data
The seasonally adjusted Wisconsin unemployment rate for March 2009 was 8.5 percent, up 0.7 percentage points from February 2009 and up 4.1 percentage points from March 2008. The national seasonally adjusted March rate was 8.5 percent, compared to 8.1 percent in February and 5.1 percent in March 2008.
Total state employment was down 38,200 from last month, and down 102,400 compared to one year ago.
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