Lansing – Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February edged up by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.8 percent, according to data released today by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB).  Total employment was essentially unchanged over the month while the number of unemployed increased slightly by 1,000.

The Michigan jobless rate in February 2018 was unchanged from the state’s February 2017 rate of 4.8 percent.  The national jobless rate declined by six-tenths of a percentage point over this period.  The state’s unemployment rate in February was seven-tenths of a percentage point above the national rate.  The U.S. jobless was unchanged at 4.1 percent in February.

“Michigan’s monthly jobless rates have been relatively steady over the last several years, and have risen slightly since mid-year 2017,” said Jason Palmer, director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives.  “However, payroll jobs advanced in the last three months of 2017, while 2018 began on a positive note as well, with statewide jobs increasing by a solid 16,000 in the first two months of the year.”

Monthly Labor Force Trends & Highlights

• February marked the first monthly jobless rate increase in the state since the minor uptick recorded in September 2017.

• With recently revised data (see page 5), Michigan’s monthly unemployment rates have remained within the relatively narrow band of 4.4 to 5.2 percent since August 2015.

• From February 2017 to February 2018, total employment increased in Michigan by 28,000 or 0.6 percent while the number of unemployed in the state was flat.  Nationally over the same period, total employment rose by 1.8 percent and the number of unemployed decreased by 10.4 percent.

MICHIGAN

Labor Force Estimates

Seasonally Adjusted

(Data in Thousands)

Detroit Metropolitan Area’s February Jobless Rate Unchanged

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Metropolitan Statistical Area’s (MSA’s) seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February was unchanged from January’s 4.5 percent rate (January’s rate was revised upward by one-tenth of a percentage point).  Total employment declined slightly by 2,000 over the month in the region while the number of unemployed edged up by 1,000.  The Detroit metro area’s monthly unemployment rates have remained below the state’s rates since April 2017.  However, the region’s jobless rate has risen by a half percentage point since the recent low of 4.0 percent displayed in June 2017.

From February 2017 to February 2018, the Detroit metropolitan area’s jobless rate declined by four-tenths of a percentage point.  Over that period, total employment advanced by 17,000 or 0.8 percent and the number of unemployed declined by 7,000 or 6.7 percent.  The Detroit MSA’s workforce rose moderately by 10,000 or 0.5 percent since February 2017.  The over-the-year growth in the Detroit metro region’s labor force and total employment levels were similar to the statewide gains on a percentage basis.

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MSA

Labor Force Estimates

Seasonally Adjusted

(Data in Thousands)

February Payroll Jobs Rise

According to the monthly survey of employers, seasonally adjusted Michigan payroll jobs increased in February by 13,000 to 4,411,000.  Nearly all of the state’s major industry sectors displayed job gains or stability over the month.  Notable February job additions were posted in Professional and business services (+4,000) and Leisure and hospitality services (+4,000), while lesser gains were reported in Construction (+2,000) and Manufacturing (+2,000).  The state’s remaining major industry sectors were little changed over the month.

Industry Employment Trends and Highlights                    

• February marked the fifth consecutive monthly gain in Michigan’s overall payroll job count.  Over that period, the state added 35,000 jobs for a 0.8 percent increase.

• The solid 4,000 over-the-month job gain in Professional and business services was a continuation of an upward trend in this sector since November.

• The February job advance in Leisure and hospitality services was in contrast to the prior three months of relatively flat job counts for this sector.

• The moderate 2,000 gain in Manufacturing jobs over the month reflected recalls from short term layoffs in the state’s auto industry.

• The over-the-month job increase in the state’s Construction sector was a continuation of an upward trend recorded throughout 2017 and into early 2018.  Since February 2017, Construction jobs have risen in the state by a strong 6.9 percent.

• From February 2017 to February 2018, payroll jobs in Michigan increased by 52,000 or 1.2 percent, which somewhat lagged the national gain over this period of 1.6 percent.  Construction (+11,000), Leisure and hospitality services (+11,000), Professional and business services (+9,000), Government (+6,000) and Education and health services (+5,000) led the over-the-year job additions in the state.

• Seasonally adjusted average weekly hours and earnings of production workers in Manufacturing were little changed both over the month and over the year.

Note: 

Data Revisions:

The data in this release reflects recently revised historical estimates.  All states in the nation participate in this revision process facilitated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

Seasonally adjusted labor force estimates for 1976-2017 for Michigan and 1990-2017 for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MSA were revised.

In addition, all unadjusted payroll job data was revised for 2016-2017.  Certain industries had more extensive data revisions, some back to 1990. Seasonally adjusted payroll job data was revised back to 2013 for all industries. Some sectors had more extensive data revisions, some back to 1990. For newly revised data go to www.milmi.org or contact DTMB at 313-456-3090.

Previously published data for these years should be replaced with this new series.

Methodology Changes:

Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS)

The seasonal adjustment process for employment and unemployment data has been recently changed by BLS. LAUS will no longer attempt to simultaneously control and seasonally adjust all of the state estimates within each census division. Instead, seasonal adjustment will occur externally by applying a filter to not seasonally adjusted estimates. A trend filter will then be applied to smooth out irregular variation and reduce month-to-month volatility.

Current Employment Statistics (CES)

With the release of January 2018 data, the Current Employment Statistics (CES) state and area program will convert to concurrent seasonal adjustment, which uses all available estimates, including those for the current month, in developing seasonal factors. In the past, the CES program projected seasonal factors once a year during the annual benchmark process.  Both methods use the same 10-year historical sample data as the input. For more information on this change, please visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics website:

https://www.bls.gov/sae/saeconcurrent.htm

Lansing – Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February edged up by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.8 percent, according to data released today by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB).  Total employment was essentially unchanged over the month while the number of unemployed increased slightly by 1,000.

The Michigan jobless rate in February 2018 was unchanged from the state’s February 2017 rate of 4.8 percent.  The national jobless rate declined by six-tenths of a percentage point over this period.  The state’s unemployment rate in February was seven-tenths of a percentage point above the national rate.  The U.S. jobless was unchanged at 4.1 percent in February.

“Michigan’s monthly jobless rates have been relatively steady over the last several years, and have risen slightly since mid-year 2017,” said Jason Palmer, director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives.  “However, payroll jobs advanced in the last three months of 2017, while 2018 began on a positive note as well, with statewide jobs increasing by a solid 16,000 in the first two months of the year.”

Monthly Labor Force Trends & Highlights

• February marked the first monthly jobless rate increase in the state since the minor uptick recorded in September 2017.
• With recently revised data (see page 5), Michigan’s monthly unemployment rates have remained within the relatively narrow band of 4.4 to 5.2 percent since August 2015.
• From February 2017 to February 2018, total employment increased in Michigan by 28,000 or 0.6 percent while the number of unemployed in the state was flat.  Nationally over the same period, total employment rose by 1.8 percent and the number of unemployed decreased by 10.4 percent.

MICHIGAN

Labor Force Estimates

Seasonally Adjusted

(Data in Thousands)

Detroit Metropolitan Area’s February Jobless Rate Unchanged

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Metropolitan Statistical Area’s (MSA’s) seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February was unchanged from January’s 4.5 percent rate (January’s rate was revised upward by one-tenth of a percentage point).  Total employment declined slightly by 2,000 over the month in the region while the number of unemployed edged up by 1,000.  The Detroit metro area’s monthly unemployment rates have remained below the state’s rates since April 2017.  However, the region’s jobless rate has risen by a half percentage point since the recent low of 4.0 percent displayed in June 2017.

From February 2017 to February 2018, the Detroit metropolitan area’s jobless rate declined by four-tenths of a percentage point.  Over that period, total employment advanced by 17,000 or 0.8 percent and the number of unemployed declined by 7,000 or 6.7 percent.  The Detroit MSA’s workforce rose moderately by 10,000 or 0.5 percent since February 2017.  The over-the-year growth in the Detroit metro region’s labor force and total employment levels were similar to the statewide gains on a percentage basis.

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MSA

Labor Force Estimates

Seasonally Adjusted

(Data in Thousands)

February Payroll Jobs Rise

According to the monthly survey of employers, seasonally adjusted Michigan payroll jobs increased in February by 13,000 to 4,411,000.  Nearly all of the state’s major industry sectors displayed job gains or stability over the month.  Notable February job additions were posted in Professional and business services (+4,000) and Leisure and hospitality services (+4,000), while lesser gains were reported in Construction (+2,000) and Manufacturing (+2,000).  The state’s remaining major industry sectors were little changed over the month.

Industry Employment Trends and Highlights                    

• February marked the fifth consecutive monthly gain in Michigan’s overall payroll job count.  Over that period, the state added 35,000 jobs for a 0.8 percent increase.
• The solid 4,000 over-the-month job gain in Professional and business services was a continuation of an upward trend in this sector since November.
• The February job advance in Leisure and hospitality services was in contrast to the prior three months of relatively flat job counts for this sector.
• The moderate 2,000 gain in Manufacturing jobs over the month reflected recalls from short term layoffs in the state’s auto industry.
• The over-the-month job increase in the state’s Construction sector was a continuation of an upward trend recorded throughout 2017 and into early 2018.  Since February 2017, Construction jobs have risen in the state by a strong 6.9 percent.
• From February 2017 to February 2018, payroll jobs in Michigan increased by 52,000 or 1.2 percent, which somewhat lagged the national gain over this period of 1.6 percent.  Construction (+11,000), Leisure and hospitality services (+11,000), Professional and business services (+9,000), Government (+6,000) and Education and health services (+5,000) led the over-the-year job additions in the state.
• Seasonally adjusted average weekly hours and earnings of production workers in Manufacturing were little changed both over the month and over the year.

Note: 

Data Revisions:

The data in this release reflects recently revised historical estimates.  All states in the nation participate in this revision process facilitated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

Seasonally adjusted labor force estimates for 1976-2017 for Michigan and 1990-2017 for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MSA were revised.

In addition, all unadjusted payroll job data was revised for 2016-2017.  Certain industries had more extensive data revisions, some back to 1990. Seasonally adjusted payroll job data was revised back to 2013 for all industries. Some sectors had more extensive data revisions, some back to 1990. For newly revised data go to www.milmi.org or contact DTMB at 313-456-3090.

Previously published data for these years should be replaced with this new series.

Methodology Changes:

Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS)

The seasonal adjustment process for employment and unemployment data has been recently changed by BLS. LAUS will no longer attempt to simultaneously control and seasonally adjust all of the state estimates within each census division. Instead, seasonal adjustment will occur externally by applying a filter to not seasonally adjusted estimates. A trend filter will then be applied to smooth out irregular variation and reduce month-to-month volatility.

Current Employment Statistics (CES)

With the release of January 2018 data, the Current Employment Statistics (CES) state and area program will convert to concurrent seasonal adjustment, which uses all available estimates, including those for the current month, in developing seasonal factors. In the past, the CES program projected seasonal factors once a year during the annual benchmark process.  Both methods use the same 10-year historical sample data as the input. For more information on this change, please visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics website:

https://www.bls.gov/sae/saeconcurrent.htm