Local Unemployment

From the Peshtigo Times.

12/30/08

"Unemployment Up In 4 Area Counties
Unemployment was up for November in the four county area of Marinette, Oconto, Florence and Forest according to a report by the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) released Tuesday, Dec. 23.

In Marinette County the rate was 7.1%, up from 5.7% in October and up from 5.7% in November 2007.

Oconto County totals for November was 7.5%, up from 6.0% in October and up from 5.8% one year ago.

Florence County reported unemployment for November at 7.9%, up from 5.9% in October and up from the 5.8% recorded in November 2007.

Forest County figures were 6.0% for November compared to 5.0% in October and 5.7% in November 2007.

The unemployment rates for Marinette, Oconto and Florence were above the national unemployment rate of 6.5% for November.

“The latest unemployment rates underscore the challenges we face in a prolonged national economic crisis affecting all states,” Secretary Roberta Gassman said. “In this period of uncertainty, we will do all that we can to strengthen our workforce so that our high value employers have workers with the right skills and ensure that Wisconsin is at the forefront of a national economic recovery.”

Unemployment rates increased in all 72 Wisconsin counties during the month of November. Iron County, up 3.5 percentage points, recorded the greatest increase in rate. The lowest rate for the month was Lafayette County at 3.5 percent, followed by Dane and Buffalo counties at 3.6 and 3.7 percent respectively. Menominee and Iron counties had the highest rates at 9.4 and 9.2 percent respectively. " Peshtigo Times Wisconsin Community Newspaper

On an annual basis, Menomonie, which dropped 0.2 percentage points, was the lone county to show a decrease in rate. The greatest increase occurred in Green Lake County, up 2.5 percentage points, followed by Taylor and Rock counties, which both increased 2.4 percentage points. Twenty-seven counties recorded rates less than five percent in November. Fourteen Wisconsin counties recorded rates higher than the national unemployment rate of 6.5 percent in November.

Unemployment rates increased in each of the state’s 12 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) in November compared to October. All 12 MSAs recorded higher rates in November 2008 than November 2007. The Madison MSA had the lowest rate in November at 3.9 percent. The Janesville MSA recorded the highest rate at 7.4 percent.

Preliminary nonfarm wage and salary jobs decreased in eight of the 11 reporting metro areas over the month. The Madison and Oshkosh-Neenah MSAs recorded job increases, while the Janesville MSA recorded no change. When November preliminary job numbers are compared to the November 2007 totals, the results show decreases in job accounts in 10 of 11 metro areas, with one (Oshkosh- Neenah) unchanged.