Michigan Unemployment Shows Slight Drop; Nears Levels From 2000

DETROIT (WWJ) - The latest figures regarding unemployment in Michigan are modestly encouraging.

Bruce Weaver of the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget says that levels of unemployment are at their lowest levels in almost two decades.

"The state labor market in Michigan was relatively stable in July, the unemployment rate in Michigan edged down by just one-tenth of a percent to 3.7 percent - which is about the lowest unemployment rate the state has had since June of 2000," says Weaver.

He says job gains were in government, education and health services.

Total employment dropped by 18,000 workers while the number of people out of work also dropped by 7,000.

"The reason the unemployment rate edged down was primarily due to just fewer persons active in the state job market or labor force inched down, as well, in July - which means there were fewer people employed and fewer people unemployed in the state."

Job losses were in professional and business services and transportation equipment manufacturing due to temporary layoffs at auto assembly plants.