Published September 27, 2007
LANSING (AP) - Seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates dropped in all of Michigan's 17 regional labor markets in August, state officials said yesterday.
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Total employment rose in 11 regions from July to August, with the biggest increase in Niles-Benton Harbor, which had a 2.9 percent gain due mostly to the opening of a new gaming casino, according to the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth.
The monthly survey of employers indicated that seasonally unadjusted payroll jobs in Michigan rose in August because of people returning to auto-related manufacturing jobs after the end of the traditional July plant shutdown period to retool for model changeovers.
"Jobless rates typically fall in August throughout Michigan," said Rick Waclawek, director of DLEG's Bureau of Labor Market Information & Strategic Initiatives. However, "the size of the work force in most regions of the state was reduced as summer and seasonal employment opportunities began to wind down."
Since August 2006, jobless rates have increased slightly in nine regions, with the largest increase being in the Detroit-Livonia-Warren region.
Regional unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted, but national and state unemployment rates are adjusted to remove seasonal influences such as production cycles, holidays, model changeovers in the auto industry and climate conditions.
Michigan's seasonally adjusted jobless rate in August was 7.4 percent, highest in the nation.
Regional unadjusted jobless rates for August ranged from a low of 5 percent in Ann Arbor to a high of 8 percent in Flint.
The state's major labor market areas, their seasonally unadjusted jobless rates for August and the change since July:
Ann Arbor, 5 percent, down from 5.6 percent.
Battle Creek, 6.6 percent, down from 7.6 percent.
Bay City, 6.4 percent, down from 7.5 percent.
Detroit-Warren-Livonia, 7.9 percent, down from 8.4 percent.
Flint, 8 percent, down from 9.8 percent.
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, 5.9 percent, down from 6.9 percent.
Holland-Grand Haven, 5.3 percent, down from 6.1 percent.
Jackson, 7.6 percent, down from 8.2 percent.
Kalamazoo-Portage, 5.4 percent, down from 6.3 percent.
Lansing-East Lansing, 5.7 percent, down from 7.2 percent.
Monroe, 6.4 percent, down from 8.2 percent.
Muskegon-Norton Shores, 7.1 percent, down from 8 percent.
Niles-Benton Harbor, 6.3 percent, down from 7.4 percent.
Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, 6.9 percent, down from 8.1 percent.
Upper Peninsula, 6.3 percent, down from 6.9 percent.
Northeast Lower Michigan, 7.6 percent, down from 8.4 percent.
Northwest Lower Michigan, 6.3 percent, down from 6.8 percent.
