On May 25th, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced the preliminary April 2022 unemployment rates for Wisconsin’s 72 counties and the 35 cities with populations greater than 25,000 residents. St. Croix County’s April rate was estimated at 3.0%, which is lower than the final rate of 3.5% for March and February’s final rate of 3.4%. One year ago, the county’s unemployment rate was estimated at 3.8%.

DWD said preliminary unemployment rates from March to April decreased or stayed the same in 63 of the 72 counties. Rates declined in all 72 counties year-over-year. The current rates range from 1.9% in Lafayette to 7.7% in Iron.

Preliminary unemployment rates from March to April decreased or stayed the same in 33 of Wisconsin’s 35 largest cities. Year-over-year the rates declined in all 35 cities. Rates ranged from 1.8% in Fitchburg to 5.0% in Milwaukee.

The five counties with the lowest unemployment rates in April include Lafayette (1.9%), Dane (2.0%), Green (also at 2.0%), Calumet (2.1%), and Fond du Lac (2.3%). Iron County had the highest rate in April at 7.7%, followed by Menominee (7.0%), Bayfield (6.6%), Forest (6.5%), and Burnett (5.8%).

St. Croix, Pierce, and Polk counties comprise Wisconsin’s Greater St. Croix Valley. In addition to St. Croix’s rate of 3.0%, April’s preliminary rate in Pierce was 3.1% and Polk’s rate was 4.5%.

St. Croix and Pierce counties are included in the 15-county Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI metro area. The April 2022 unemployment rate for the Twin Cities was estimated at 1.5, which is lower than the final rate of 2.6% for March and February’s final rate of 2.4%. The unemployment rate in the Twin Cities was 4.1% in April 2021.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate for Wisconsin in April was estimated at 2.8%, which is the same as the final rate for March and lower than February’s final rate of 2.9%. One year ago, the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 4.3%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in Minnesota for April was estimated at 2.2%, which is lower than the final rate of 2.5% in March and February’s final rate of 2.7%. Minnesota’s seasonally-adjusted rate one year ago was 3.5%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in the U.S. for April was estimated at 3.6%, which is the same as the final rate for March and lower than February’s final rate of 3.8%. One year ago, the U.S. rate (seasonally adjusted) was estimated at 6.0%.

Wisconsin’s preliminary (seasonally adjusted) labor force participation rate for April was estimated at 66.5%, which is the same as the final rate for March but higher than the final rate of 66.4% for February. One year ago, Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate was also 66.7%. The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) labor force participation rate for the U.S. in April was estimated at 62.2%, which is lower than the final rate of 62.4% for March and February’s final rate of 62.3%. One year ago, the labor force participation rate in the U.S. was 61.7%.

April’s estimates are preliminary and are subject to revision within the next few weeks.

Please join St. Croix EDC on Wednesday, June 8, 2022 starting at 10:00 a.m. for an informative conversation on total rewards strategies with Linda Skoglund, Managing Partner and Alicia Schwartz, Benefits Consultant at JA Counter, an Alera Group Company.

REGISTER HERE

In this one hour conversation, Linda & Alicia will discuss trends regarding benefits, compensation and company culture and how enlightened employers are differentiating themselves from their competitors. 

Program attendees will learn what’s working in organizations that are winning the war on talent relative to compensation, career paths, communication and culture. 

Attend this session to learn what your current and prospective employees are looking for and how you need to think differently about communicating your value proposition.

REGISTER HERE

About Linda Skoglund
Linda is the managing partner of JA Counter, an Alera Group Company. As an insurance and benefits industry leader, she is responsible for the agency’s strategic direction and continued growth. Linda oversees JA Counter’s employee benefit and consulting practice while managing the organization’s vision, direction and client relationships. She has specialized expertise in areas of benefits consulting, regulatory compliance, benefits administration and insurance product design.  She is the lead benefit consultant for large employer groups, specializing in the public sector.

About Alicia Schwartz
As a Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC®), Alicia provides leadership and guidance to employers on benefit selection, total reward strategies, and the implementation and administration of benefits.  Alicia’s goal is to be an extension of an organization, working to strategically plan and develop a world-class total rewards package that meets the needs of the organization and their employees.

St. Croix Economic Development Corporation (EDC) will host James Wood of Competitive Wisconsin for a lunch presentation on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at the at the St. Croix Valley Business Innovation Center, 1091 Sutherland Avenue, River Falls, Wisconsin, from 11:30 a.m. (check-in and networking) to 1:15 p.m. The program begins at promptly at 12:00 p.m.

REGISTER HERE

Wood is the strategic counsel to Competitive Wisconsin. He will present insights to address eight areas of need and opportunity related to the most pressing systemic challenges faced by locally elected officials, employers, and community/regional leaders in recruiting and retaining the workforce in order to: a) support and grow the economy; b) pay for essential public services; and c) secure Wisconsin’s future.

Competitive Wisconsin’s eight key areas include early care and education, broadband access, workforce housing, transportation, energy, health care, rural resurgence, and community quality of life and opportunity.

Attendance is limited to the first 50 individuals and a complimentary lunch will be served. To ensure an accurate meal count, please RSVP HERE through Eventbrite or Nita@StCroixEDC.com by the close of business on Friday, June 3rd.

About Competitive Wisconsin Competitive Wisconsin, Inc. (CWI) is a unique nonpartisan consortium of agriculture, business, education, government and labor leaders in Wisconsin who work together to focus attention on the state’s competitiveness. CWI’s mission is to improve the economic climate of Wisconsin in order to encourage the expansion of existing businesses and enhance the potential of developing and attracting new businesses. Learn more at www.Competitivewi.com.

Photo Caption: (l to r) EDC President Angela Popenhagen, County Board Chair Bob Long, and EDC Executive Director Bill Rubin display a proclamation before the start of the May 3rd county board meeting. The proclamation was signed by Popenhagen and Long to recognize May 1-7, 2022 as National Small Business Week for the benefit of business and industry in St. Croix County, Wisconsin. Popenhagen and Long called on county residents to reflect on the importance of the week and help celebrate small business achievements in their respective communities.

About Small Businesses
-There are an estimated 32.5 million small businesses in the U.S., including more than 461,500 in Wisconsin and 2,300 employer establishments in St. Croix County. Estimated employment of employer establishments in St. Croix is 32,280. The number of employer establishments in Pierce County is estimated at 780, which employ 7,100 persons. The number of employer establishments in Polk County is estimated at 1,120, which employ 14,125 persons.

-99.9 percent of all businesses in the U.S. are small businesses

-61.2 million people in the U.S. are employed by small businesses

-46.8 percent of U.S. employees are employed by small businesses