The latest numbers from the state Department of Workforce Development (DWD) show that the Wisconsin’s unemployment rate for January 2015 dropped to 5 percent. This puts the state’s jobless rate at its lowest level since August 2008.

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Credit: crowdfundinsider.com

Nationally, the unemployment rate stands at 5.7 percent with new numbers expected to be released on Friday morning from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

DWD today also released BLS’ revised employment estimates for each month in 2014 and previous years showing Wisconsin added 139,000 private sector jobs since December 2010. BLS adjusted the monthly job estimates through an annual process called “benchmarking” to bring the sample – based series into closer alignment with actual job counts from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.

Highlights of today’s release of BLS estimates include:

  • A preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 5.0 percent in January, down from 5.2 percent in December and 6.0 percent in January 2014. The 5.0 percent January 2015 rate is the lowest since August 2008, and remains below the national rate of 5.7 percent.
  • A preliminary seasonally adjusted total nonfarm gain of 43,300 jobs in January 2015 from January 2014, including significant increases in manufacturing, construction and other sectors for a total of 136,800 nonfarm jobs gained since December 2010.
  • Wisconsin added an estimated 40,800 private sector jobs from January 2014 to January 2015, for a total of 139,000 private sector jobs added since December 2010.
  • Manufacturing gained an estimated 11,600 jobs over the year and 35,800 manufacturing jobs since December 2010.
  • Construction gained an estimated 9,300 jobs over the year and 16,900 construction jobs since December 2010.

Secretary Newson issued the following statement in response to the latest job numbers: “The numbers released today show that Wisconsin’s economy continues to add good-paying, middle-class jobs. It is evident that the investments we are making to develop the workforce and grow the state’s economy are creating opportunities and moving our state in the right direction.

As a whole, Wisconsin added only 600 jobs in preliminary numbers for January. Of those, 300 were private sector jobs.

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