Michigan's unemployment rate for May 2013 remained unchanged from the previous month - 8.4%. If you compare it to May 2012, the rate is down - the unemployment rate in May 2012 was 9.2%.
After the Great Recession, the unemployment rate in Michigan began to drop from its high of more than 14% in 2009, but so did the number of people in the overall "workforce" in the state. The workforce, or the total number of people both working or actively looking for work, has only increased slightly in recent months.
This month, the workforce grew by 28,000.
More from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget - the department that released the figures this afternoon:
“Michigan’s labor market indicators appeared favorable in May,” said Michael Williams, acting director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives. “Payroll jobs registered a significant increase, and the size of the workforce advanced for the fifth consecutive month.”
For more on how the unemployment rate is tallied, read our post "5 things to know about the unemployment rate."
