Community Corner
Michigan Unemployment Rate Falls Slightly To 21.2 Percent In May
Michigan's seasonally adjusted jobless rate fell to 21.2% in May during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new data released Wednesday.
Michigan’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate fell to 21.2% in May during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new data released Wednesday by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB).
That is down from April’s 24% revised jobless rate. It’s the second month in a row Michigan has remained over 20% — one of only three states to experience those levels. The state rate is 7.9 percentage points above the 13.3% May national rate, according to DTMB.
Find out what's happening in Across Michiganfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Michigan added 256,000 jobs in May, but remained more than 1 million below pre-coronavirus February levels, according to DTMB. After almost 900,000 people reported unemployment in April, that number declined by 97,000 in May.
“The May job market was marked by two primary trends: a continuation of record-high unemployment and job gains resulting from initial recalls from pandemic-related layoffs,” said Jason Palmer, the director of DTMB’s Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives. “Jobs rose in most industries in May, but these additions accounted for only about 17 percent of the jobs lost in April.”
Find out what's happening in Across Michiganfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The sharp rise in state unemployment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic surpasses the state’s 14.6% record set in June 2009, during the Great Recession.
DTMB data shows most jobs were recovered in the state’s construction sector, which saw an addition of 51,000 jobs in May. Meanwhile, Michigan’s government sector saw the largest May job losses of any industry, shedding about 13,000.
