Wis. unemployment rate closes in on 9 percent
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin officials say unemployment across the state has reached nearly 9 percent.
The Department of Workforce Development on Thursday released numbers as of February.
The agency says state unemployment that month was 8.8 percent. That’s up from 7.7 percent from January.
It’s also nearly 4 percentage points higher than the rate for the same period last year.
The numbers mean Wisconsin’s unemployment has caught up to national numbers. State and federal rates for February are about the same now, whereas Wisconsin was nearly a full percentage point better in January.
Between February 2008 and February 2009, Wisconsin lost nearly 90,000 non-farm jobs. About 40,000 manufacturing jobs were lost, as were about 37,000 jobs in the service sector.
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On the Net:
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov
Mar 21, 2009 at 8:23 a.m.
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11.6% in Janesville, 5.3% for Madison, and 13.7% for Rockford. - U3 rates as of January (official #). http://www.bls.gov/web/laummtrk.htm
Look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics for more fun facts. U6 rates are what you are looking for truth1 and ljs64.
Mar 21, 2009 at 1:42 a.m.
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Wisconsin burns and Gov. Doyle fiddles.
Mar 20, 2009 at 3:36 p.m.
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"Employers" that have real jobs to offer don't beg for people to work for them in ads everywhere you look and tell whopping lies about the pay, yet, this garbage is considered "employment".
Mar 20, 2009 at 3:21 p.m.
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How about those radio ads for "truck drivers"..What a joke..What kind of "employer" begs for employees over the radio?
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Truck driving is not covered under minimum-wage laws when not paid by the hour and often pays less than "minimum wage".
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I suppose this kind of stuff is considered "employment" ..........NOT
Mar 20, 2009 at 2:58 p.m.
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ljs64......"how unemployment numbers are derived"......THATS THE PROBLEM
Mar 20, 2009 at 2:41 p.m.
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truth1 - So where do you get your "prank figures?" Do you even have a clue how the unemployemnt numbers are derived? My guess is NO.
Mar 20, 2009 at 2:17 p.m.
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Politicians use these prank figures to make it always look like things are much much better than they actually are..."Unemployment" in the best of times in the last 25 years is around 10% or so...Its got to be 30% or more today.
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Democrat/Republican lying pranksters
Mar 20, 2009 at 11:42 a.m.
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This will be a small number now that Obama is in office. Doyle is just like him, spend, spend, spend. The whole country is going down the tubes! The agenda for Obama and those like minded is make the american people dependant on the government then we will become a socialist country, IF someone doesn't attack us first! The unemployment will continue to rise and yet our state government and the federal government will continue to tax us to death and spend like they have money!
Mar 20, 2009 at 10:54 a.m.
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......while politicians get raises for raising taxes and ruining the country
Mar 20, 2009 at 10:01 a.m.
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9 percent????
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Is that number supposed to be some sort of prank or what?
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Is the person that was making $23,000 a year that is now making $13,000 a year working full time still considered "fully employed"?...And that is only ONE factor among dozens.
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I estimate the TRUE unemployment rate statewide and nationally to be around 30% or more.
Mar 20, 2009 at 8:56 a.m.
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What plant?? If you are referring to the GM Plant - Well GM's CEO put that to rest. Stop looking back everyone and start preparing for the future.
Mar 20, 2009 at 8:49 a.m.
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It will all be OK when the plant reopens.
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