MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s unemployment rate rose to 5.7% in October from 5.4% in September as the coronavirus continues to rage across the state, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development reported Thursday.
The state rate is below the national unemployment rate for October of 6.9%. A year ago the state rate was 3.5%.
Wisconsin lost 2,700 private-sector jobs in October and is down 176,900 for the year. The October job losses were largely driven by decreases in the leisure and hospitality industry and government sector, the state reported.
While the drop in unemployment rate is good news, Wisconsin remains down 178,400 private-sector jobs compared with a year ago.
