Despite Jobs Added, WI's Jobless Rate Rises

MADISON, Wis. (WTAQ) - Wisconsin added about 5,600 jobs in January, but the state’s unemployment rate for the month still went up. Workforce development officials said Thursday that the seasonally-adjusted jobless rate was 8.7 percent, up from 8.5 in December and 7.1 percent the previous January. Despite the increase, the number of people with jobs grew for the first time since last October, and only the sixth time since the national recession began in late 2007.

Jobs were added in manufacturing, health care, and administrative services. About 3,600 people were looking for work in January after they had given up searching for jobs earlier – and that’s one reason the jobless rate went up. Those not searching for jobs are not counted as unemployed.