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Wednesday, November 25, 1998
Governor
Tommy G. Thompson
Secretary
Linda Stewart
News Media Contact
DWD News Office
608/267-4400
e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us
fax: 608/266-1784

For more information contact:
August Cibarich, 608/266-0522

State’s jobless rate up slightly
in October; still below year ago

Madison, Wis. -- Wisconsin’s seasonally-adjusted jobless rate rose slightly to 3.4 per cent in mid-October, according to preliminary data released today by the State Department of Workforce Development.

Even so, said Bruce Hagen, the agency’s Deputy Secretary, it was:

  • a small-enough rise from mid-September’s rate of 3.2 per cent to be within the margin for error.

The comparable U.S. rate was unchanged over the month at 4.6 per cent.

Hagen also said the state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate probably will average about 3.2 per cent for the year. That would be the lowest annual average since 1966’s 3.2 per cent.

The lowest rate recorded for any October since record-keeping began in 1960 was 2.9 per cent in 1966, according to Hagen. The October 1965 rate had been slightly higher, at 3.3 per cent, for second-lowest. The latest 1998 monthly rate matched the rates recorded in October 1968 and 1996. The lowest recorded average annual jobless rate ever was 2.7 per cent in 1956.

Hagen said one reason for the rise in October joblessness was scattered layoffs, mainly in manufacturing, some of which likely were the result of the foreign financial crises.

Another factor was a continued influx of people into the labor force, not all of whom found jobs immediately.

"As a result, the number of people employed in the state still was at about the same level as in September," Hagen said, down only 800 to a new base of 2,866,700.

The number of people in the labor force -- a category which includes both those working and looking for work -- rose by 4,000 over the month, and by 28,500 over the year, to nearly 2,966,000 in the latest month.

"It’s easy for the jobless rate to go up when the number of people in jobs is rising, as well," Hagen said. "For every person who is laid off or otherwise unemployed, it takes 32 others being hired to negate the impact of that layoff on the jobless rate."

"That’s because there currently are 32 persons employed in the state for every person who is jobless."

Hagen said private-sector jobs declined by 5,600 over the month, about 300 fewer than normal and up 37,800 over the year. Nonfarm wage and salary employment overall was up 6,100 over the month to 2,748,300 in October, also a slightly better than normal performance for the season. The level was up 43,400 for the year.

Manufacturing employment declined by 6,000, a larger-than-normal drop in October. Most of the job losses were in food processing. The decline there was normal for the time of year, however. Retail trade showed the largest private-sector job growth over the month, up 1,300 to 485,200. The Services job sector showed the most growth over the year, up 16,700 to 711,900. That level was essentially unchanged over the month at a time when a decline is normal.

Construction employment remained strong in October, as did employment in the Finance/Insurance/Real Estate sector. Government job growth was about normal for an October.

Unemployment rates rose last month in eight of the state’s 11 largest urban areas, but still ranged from 1.6 per cent in Madison to 4.1 per cent in Racine compared to a range of 1.5-3.9 per cent the month before. La Crosse recorded the largest rise in October -- up from 2.6 to 3.0 per cent. Only Sheboygan’s rate declined, from 2.4 to 2.3 per cent. Rates in Eau Claire and Wausau were unchanged.

Over the year, jobless rates were down in Appleton-Oshkosh, Green Bay, Kenosha and Wausau, unchanged in Eau Claire, Madison, Milwaukee-Waukesha, Racine and Sheboygan, and up only in Janesville-Beloit and La Crosse.

The jobless rate for the Duluth-Superior area was 2.8 per cent in October, down from 3.5 per cent a month earlier and 4.2 per cent a year ago. That data is released by the Minnesota Department of Economic Security, which does not seasonally adjust that data.

The complete text of the Department’s announcement and supporting data, as well as other labor market information, is available to the public on the agency’s Web site at <http://www.dwd.state.wi.us>. Select "news releases." Historical and other related labor market data is available by selecting "labor market information."

DWD Labor Market Information Web site

 

Employment and Labor Force
Household Survey

Unadjusted estimates

October 1998

Prior month

Year ago

Total labor force

2,965,800

2,961,800

2,937,300

Employed

2,881,100

2,881,900

2,851,700

Unemployed

84,700

79,900

85,700

Wis. Unemployment Rate

2.9%

2.7%

2.9%

U.S. Unemployment Rate

4.2%

4.4%

4.4%

 

Seasonally adjusted

October 1998

Prior month

Year ago

Total labor force

2,968,900

2,963,600

2,941,900

Employed

2,866,700

2,867,500

2,836,700

Unemployed

102,200

96,100

105,100

Wis. Unemployment

3.4%

3.2%

3.6%

U.S. Unemployment

4.6%

4.6%

4.8%

 

 

September
U.S. rank*

Unemployment
% seasonally adjusted

October
1998

Prior
month

Year
ago

12th (October)

Wisconsin

3.4%

3.2%

3.6%
27th Appleton-Oshkosh 2.6 2.5 2.9

32nd (tie)

Eau Claire

3.0

3.0

3.0

32nd (tie)

Green Bay

2.8

2.6

3.1

109th

Janesville-Beloit

3.8

3.5

3.7

66th

Kenosha

3.2

3.1

3.4

22nd (tie)

La Crosse

3.0

2.6

2.8

3rd

Madison

1.6

1.5

1.6

83rd

Milwaukee-Waukesha

3.4

3.2

3.4

117th

Racine

4.1

3.9

4.1

22nd (tie)

Sheboygan

2.3

2.4

2.3

49th

Wausau

3.3

3.3

3.6
* This is the latest available data for the U.S.’s 328 largest metro areas. Urban rankings are NOT seasonally adjusted. Lower is better. Ties are shown only if existing with other Wisconsin urban areas; ties with urban areas in other states are not shown, but are available upon request. Rankings are by the U.S. Labor Department and are based on unadjusted data for the previous month, while the rates shown above for Wisconsin cities are seasonally-adjusted.

 

Non-Farm Wage & Salary
Employer Survey
In Thousands

 

October
1998

September
1998

Year Ago

+/-
month

+/–
year
NONFARM WAGE & SALARY

2748.3

2742.2

2704.9

6.1

43.4

           
MANUFACTURING

617.0

623.0

616.2

-6.0

0.8

DURABLE GOODS .

377.4

378.4

375.7

-1.0

1.7

Lumber and Wood Products

31.9

32.2

31.6

-0.3

0.3

Furniture and Fixtures

17.3

17.4

17.2

-0.0

0.1

Stone, Clay & Glass Products

11.3

11.3

11.1

0.0

0.2

Primary Metal Industries

26.3

26.3

25.3

0.0

1.0

Fabricated Metal Products

65.9

66.5

65.8

-0.6

0.1

Nonelectrical Machinery

114.1

114.6

114.5

-0.5

-0.4

Electrical Machinery

46.2

46.5

46.7

-0.3

-0.5

Transportation Equipment .

33.7

33.6

32.9

0.1

0.8

Prof., Scient. & Control Instr

18.4

18.5

18.3

-0.1

0.0

Miscellaneous Manufacturing

12.3

11.6

12.4

0.7

-0.0

           
NONDURABLE GOODS

239.6

244.6

240.5

-5.0

-0.9

Food and Kindred Products

65.4

69.7

67.1

-4.3

-1.7

Textile Mill Products

2.9

3.0

3.0

-0.1

-0.1

Apparel & Other Finished Products

6.5

6.5

6.4

0.0

0.0

Paper and Allied Products.

52.9

53.8

53.6

-0.9

-0.7

Printing, Publishing & Allied

56.0

55.7

54.6

0.3

1.4

Chemicals and Allied Products

14.9

14.8

14.4

0.0

0.5

Rubber & Misc. Plastic Products

36.2

36.3

36.0

-0.0

0.2

Leather & Leather Products

4.5

4.5

5.0

0.0

-0.5

All Other Nondurable Goods

0.4

0.4

0.4

0.0

0.0

           
MINING

2.5

2.5

2.7

0.0

-0.2

CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION

122.2

122.8

117.1

-0.6

5.1

TRANS, COMM, ELEC, GAS

125.3

125.9

124.8

-0.6

0.5

TRADE

622.8

621.1

612.5

1.7

10.3

WHOLESALE TRADE

137.6

137.2

133.7

0.4

3.9

RETAIL TRADE

485.2

483.9

478.8

1.3

6.4

FINANCE, INSURANCE & REAL ESTATE

145.4

145.5

140.8

-0.0

4.6

SERVICES AND MISCELLANEOUS

711.9

711.8

695.2

0.1

16.7

           
GOVERNMENT

401.2

389.6

395.7

11.6

5.5

FEDERAL

29.8

29.8

29.5

0.0

0.3

STATE

101.9

96.6

99.5

5.3

2.4

LOCAL

269.4

263.1

266.6

6.3

2.8

           
PERSONS INVOLVED IN L-M DISPUTES

0.7

0.2

0.0

0.5

0.7

Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Maps of October 1998 Unemployment Rates by County

Unemployment by County
October 1998
Not seasonally adjusted
RANK COUNTY RATE LAST
RATE		 LAST
RANK		 YR
AGO
RATE		 RANK COUNTY RATE LAST
RATE		 LAST
RANK		 YR
AGO
RATE

29

 ADAMS

3.4%

2.7%

42

4.0%

47

 MARATHON

2.6%

2.5%

47

2.7%

4

 ASHLAND

6.2%

6.3%

3

4.4%

10

 MARINETTE

5.0%

4.5%

8

4.4%

35

 BARRON

3.1%

2.9%

31

3.2%

5

 MARQUETTE

5.9%

3.1%

25

4.1%

12

 BAYFIELD

4.9%

3.7%

15

5.3%

1

 MENOMINEE

9.2%

8.8%

1

9.0%

53

 BROWN

2.4%

2.3%

53

2.7%

20

 MILWAUKEE

3.9%

3.7%

13

3.9%

70

 BUFFALO

2.0%

2.0%

70

2.9%

19

 MONROE

3.9%

6.1%

4

6.7%
                          

30

 BURNETT

3.3%

2.8%

37

3.1%

16

 OCONTO

4.2%

3.6%

18

4.3%

58

 CALUMET

2.3%

2.1%

68

3.1%

24

 ONEIDA

3.6%

3.0%

29

3.8%

49

 CHIPPEWA

2.5%

2.3%

55

2.4%

61

 OUTAGAMIE

2.2%

2.1%

66

2.4%

18

 CLARK

4.0%

3.6%

17

4.0%

66

 OZAUKEE

2.1%

2.2%

61

2.0%

37

 COLUMBIA

3.1%

2.8%

35

3.7%

48

 PEPIN

2.5%

2.5%

46

3.1%

39

 CRAWFORD

3.0%

3.0%

26

3.1%

69

 PIERCE

2.0%

2.7%

39

2.0%
                          

72

 DANE

1.3%

1.3%

72

1.4%

36

 POLK

3.1%

2.9%

32

2.6%

60

 DODGE

2.2%

2.1%

65

2.7%

46

 PORTAGE

2.7%

2.6%

43

2.7%

38

 DOOR

3.1%

2.8%

36

3.5%

2

 PRICE

7.8%

6.7%

2

3.1%

21

 DOUGLAS

3.8%

3.4%

21

3.5%

23

 RACINE

3.6%

3.4%

20

3.5%

64

 DUNN

2.1%

2.2%

59

2.1%

52

 RICHLAND

2.4%

3.6%

16

2.9%

57

 EAU CLAIRE

2.3%

2.3%

52

2.4%

27

 ROCK

3.4%

3.3%

22

3.4%
                          

3

 FLORENCE

7.0%

5.3%

5

5.1%

14

 RUSK

4.2%

3.9%

11

5.7%

41

 FOND DU LAC

3.0%

2.3%

57

2.7%

51

 SAUK

2.5%

2.1%

69

2.7%

11

 FOREST

4.9%

4.2%

10

3.8%

15

 SAWYER

4.2%

3.7%

14

4.2%

43

 GRANT

2.8%

2.8%

34

3.8%

26

 SHAWANO

3.5%

2.9%

33

3.5%

55

 GREEN

2.4%

2.2%

62

2.2%

67

 SHEBOYGAN

2.1%

2.1%

64

2.0%

6

 GREEN LAKE

5.9%

2.8%

38

3.6%

68

 ST. CROIX

2.0%

2.9%

30

2.1%
                          

63

 IOWA

2.1%

2.3%

50

2.4%

32

 TAYLOR

3.2%

2.5%

49

2.7%

8

 IRON

5.5%

5.2%

7

5.1%

42

 TREMPEALEAU

2.9%

2.7%

41

3.8%

33

 JACKSON

3.1%

3.0%

27

3.1%

25

 VERNON

3.5%

3.4%

19

3.6%

65

 JEFFERSON

2.1%

2.2%

60

2.6%

40

 VILAS

3.0%

2.5%

48

3.3%

9

 JUNEAU

5.1%

5.2%

6

6.8%

71

 WALWORTH

2.0%

1.9%

71

2.4%

44

 KENOSHA

2.8%

2.7%

40

3.0%

13

 WASHBURN

4.3%

4.2%

9

5.1%
                          

31

 KEWAUNEE

3.2%

2.6%

45

3.0%

59

 WASHINGTON

2.2%

2.3%

51

2.6%

56

 LA CROSSE

2.4%

2.2%

63

2.3%

62

 WAUKESHA

2.2%

2.1%

67

2.1%

50

 LAFAYETTE

2.5%

2.3%

56

2.5%

45

 WAUPACA

2.8%

2.6%

44

2.9%

7

 LANGLADE

5.6%

3.9%

12

4.9%

17

 WAUSHARA

4.1%

3.2%

24

4.0%

28

 LINCOLN

3.4%

3.2%

23

4.0%

54

 WINNEBAGO

2.4%

2.3%

54

2.6%

22

 MANITOWOC

3.7%

2.3%

58

2.9%

34

 WOOD

3.1%

3.0%

28

2.8%

Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

For an e-mail version of this news release,
send your e-mail request and address to:
news@dwd.state.wi.us