UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DOWN, BUT IS IT REALLY?
Friday, June 18th, 2010 -- 11:23 AM
Wisconsin's unemployment rate dropped to 8.2% in May, its lowest level in more than a year.The state Department of Workforce Development released the seasonally adjusted number on Thursday.
The monthly report shows that Wisconsin added more than 40,000 jobs in May.
Unemployment was 8.5% in April. The May rate is its lowest since March 2009.
The national seasonally adjusted rate for May was 9.7%.
Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle says the lower rate reflects the hard work being done to recover from the recession, but some economists aren't so sure.
The state lost 7,900 private-sector jobs; the rate appears lower because private sector job losses were offset with government hires?many of which were temporary Census positions. Plus, Wisconsin nearly always adds jobs each year in May, regardless of the condition of the economy, as weather warms and vacations begin.
Nationally in May, 6.8 million people reported being out of work for six months or longer.
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