OK, you followed the news today. What's Wisconsin's unemployment rate?



Unemployment rate continues downward trend, reaches lowest point in over a year

MADISON – Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman announced today that Wisconsin’s May unemployment rate dropped significantly to 7.7 percent, its lowest level since early 2009, and that Wisconsin added over 40,000 jobs in May, demonstrating its continued economic recovery. -- Dept. of Workforce Development.


Wisconsin’s unemployment rate continues to drop



Wisconsin’s unemployment rate dropped to 7.7 percent in May, its lowest level since early 2009, as more than 40,000 new jobs were added during the month, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced today. -- BizTimes.com


State jobless rate fell to 8.2% in May


Wisconsin's economy lost 7,900 private-sector jobs in May but federal, state and local governments hired enough workers to offset the private-sector declines, according to the state's latest employment report, released Thursday. Adjusting for seasonal factors, the state unemployment rate fell

to 8.2% in May from 8.5% in April, and is at its lowest level since March 2009, according to the state Department of Workforce Development.--Journal Sentinel.



Wisconsin unemployment drops to 8.2%




MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin's unemployment rate dropped to 8.2% in May, its lowest level in more than a year. -- Associated Press. 

So, the original DWD release starts with 7.7% but says later it is seasonally adjusted to 8.2%. The BizTimes follows suit, leading with the lower number and explaining later that the adjusted rate is higher.


The Journal Sentinel uses the 8.2% and never mentions the lower figure, although it does say the 8.2% is seasonally adjusted. And AP says it's 8.2, never mentions it's adjusted, and never mentions the 7.7%.


They all agree it's down, though.  And that's the good news.  But this is one of those days when life is much less complicated for people who only have one source of news.