Michigan's May Jobless Rate Declines

Lansing – Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May edged down by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.6 percent, according to data released today by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB).  Total employment rose by 10,000 over the month while the number of unemployed in the state declined by 5,000.  In May, Michigan’s workforce grew by 5,000.

The Michigan jobless rate in May 2018 was two-tenths of a percentage point above the state’s May 2017 rate of 4.4 percent.  The national jobless rate declined by five-tenths of a percentage point over this period.  The state’s unemployment rate in May was eight-tenths of a percentage point above the national rate.  The U.S. jobless rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.8 percent in May.

“Following a sluggish April, Michigan payroll jobs rebounded in May to the highest level in 2018,” said Jason Palmer, director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives.  “The state’s payroll job growth so far this year has moderately outpaced job growth posted over the same period in 2017.”

Monthly Labor Force Trends & Highlights

• Michigan’s May jobless rate was the lowest recorded by the state since the August 2017 rate of 4.6 percent.
• Since August 2017, the state’s monthly unemployment rates have remained within the narrow band of 4.6 to 4.8 percent.
• After a slow start to the year in January and February, total employment gained some momentum over the last three months.  From February to May, total employment in Michigan advanced by 19,000 or 0.4 percent.
• Since May 2017, total employment in Michigan increased by 28,000 or 0.6 percent while the number of unemployed moved upward by 11,000 or 5.2 percent.  Nationally over the same period, total employment rose by 1.7 percent and the number of unemployed declined by 11.3 percent.
• From May 2017 to May 2018, Michigan’s workforce rose by 40,000 or 0.8 percent, which was slightly outdone by the national growth rate of 1.1 percent.

MICHIGAN

Labor Force Estimates

Seasonally Adjusted

(Data in Thousands)

Detroit Metropolitan Area’s May Unemployment Rate Down

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Metropolitan Statistical Area’s (MSA’s) seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May declined slightly over the month by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.4 percent.  Total employment in the region advanced by 3,000 in May while the number of unemployed was flat.  The Detroit metro area’s labor force increased by 2,000 over the month.  May marked the first monthly jobless rate reduction in the region in 2018 after remaining unchanged over the first four months of the year at 4.5 percent.  The Detroit MSA’s total employment count in May increased for the second consecutive month after recording declines in the first three months of the year.  The area’s monthly jobless rates so far in 2018 remained slightly below the statewide rates.

From May 2017 to May 2018, the Detroit metropolitan area’s jobless rate moved upward by three-tenths of a percentage point from 4.1 percent.  Since May 2017, total employment increased by 6,000 or 0.3 percent and the number of unemployed rose by 8,000 or 9.3 percent.  The Detroit MSA’s workforce advanced by 12,000 or 0.6 percent over the year.  The growth in the area’s employment level and workforce lagged both the state’s and the nation’s over this period.

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MSA

Labor Force Estimates

Seasonally Adjusted

(Data in Thousands)

May Payroll Jobs Jump 

According to the monthly survey of employers, seasonally adjusted Michigan payroll jobs rose in May by 12,000 to 4,425,000.  Notable job gains over the month were displayed in Construction (+3,000), Education and health services (+3,000) and Leisure and hospitality services (+3,000).  The state’s remaining major industry sectors recorded minor changes over the month.

Industry Employment Trends and Highlights                    

• After recording the only monthly job reduction of the year in April, Michigan jobs rose in May to the highest level in 2018, slightly overtaking the March total.
• Construction jobs advanced in May after remaining essentially flat from March to April.
• Jobs in Leisure and hospitality services bounced back in May after posting its lowest job count of the year in April.
• The over-the-month job gain in Education and health services continued an upward trend seen throughout most months so far in 2018.  From December 2017 to May, jobs in this sector recorded a gain of 7,000 or 1.0 percent, which matched the over-the-year gain.
• Job levels in Professional and business services declined in both April and May after posting gains for the first three months of the year.  However, this sector continued to show solid job gains over the year.
• In the first five months 0f 2018, Michigan payroll jobs were up by 30,000 or 0.7 percent.  Over the same period in 2017, payroll jobs increased in the state by 24,000 or 0.5 percent.
• From May 2017 to May 2018, payroll jobs in Michigan increased by 58,000 or 1.3 percent, which somewhat lagged the national gain over this period of 1.6 percent.  Since May 2017, job advances were widespread throughout most of Michigan’s major sectors and were led by gains in Construction (+13,000), Leisure and hospitality services (+9,000), Professional and business services (+8,000) and Trade, transportation and utilities (+8,000).
• Seasonally adjusted average weekly hours and earnings of production workers in Manufacturing declined over the month but rose slightly over the year.