Wisconsin’s total labor force – the number of people employed or looking for work – has grown by 78,400 people in the past year, according to the latest seasonally adjusted estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The total labor force is now at 3,146,300, according to data released Thursday as part of the monthly jobs report from the state Department of Workforce Development.
The growing labor force includes 66,500 more people classified as employed and 11,800 more people unemployed compared to November 2022.
As a result, Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate has climbed 1.3 percentage points to 65.9% over the past year.
The overall U.S. labor force participation rate has increased 0.6 percentage points over the same period to 62.8%.
Wisconsin’s unemployment rate has increased from 3% a year ago to 3.3% in November. It was 3.2% in October.
The monthly estimates of the labor market come from two different surveys. Data on the labor force and unemployment rate comes from a survey of households while a separate survey of employers produces estimates of payrolls and the number of jobs in the state.
While the household survey shows overall employment up around 2.2% year-over-year, the survey of employers puts the total number of private sector jobs up around 1.1% compared to November 2022.
The total number of private sector jobs in the state came in at 2,615,800 for November, up 28,700 from a year earlier.
The increase included a gain of 3,700 jobs from October to November.
Service providing sector led the month-over-month job gains, including the addition of 2,300 positions in accommodation and food services.
In goods producing sectors, construction employment was up 1,200, but manufacturing lost 300 jobs.
Compared to a year ago, manufacturing employment in the state is down by 6,100 while service sectors are up 31,600. Health care and social assistance employment, in particular, is up 11,600 from November 2022 and accommodation and food service is up 7,700.
