Michigan jobless rate declines during April

Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate receded by one-tenth of a percentage point between March and April to 4.3 percent, according to data released Wednesday by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget. Statewide employment advanced by 19,000, while total Michigan unemployment fell by 5,000, resulting in a workforce gain of 14,000 during April.   

“Two years after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the state, Michigan’s labor market has shown significant growth,” said Wayne Rourke, associate director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives. “The statewide jobless rate fell by over 18 percentage points, while payroll employment advanced by over 925,000 since April 2020.”

The U.S. jobless rate was unchanged over the month at 3.6 percent. Michigan’s April unemployment rate was 0.7 percentage points larger than the national rate. The U.S. jobless rate fell by 2.4 percentage points over the year, while the statewide rate decreased by 1.9 percentage points during the same period.

—Labor force trends and highlights

  • April 2022 marked the 10th consecutive month of jobless rate declines in the state.
  • Michigan’s workforce edged up by 0.3 percent over the month. In contrast, the national labor force declined by 0.2 percent since March 2022.
  • During the first four months of 2022, total unemployment in the state declined by 36,000, or 14.7 percent.
  • The statewide over-the-month unemployment decrease of 2.3 percent exceeded the national unemployment reduction of 0.2 percent.
  • Michigan’s employment total advanced by 3.6 percent over the year, while the U.S. employment total rose by 4.5 percent since April 2021.
  • Michigan’s jobless rate fell notably since the height of the pandemic in April 2020, dropping by 18.4 percentage points over the past two years.
  • The April 2022 statewide unemployment rate of 4.3 percent remained 0.5 percentage points above the February 2020 pre-pandemic rate of 3.8 percent.

—Detroit metro area jobless rate recedes over month

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Metropolitan Statistical Area’s (MSA) seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.6 percent during April. The number of employed in the Detroit MSA edged up by 5,000, while total unemployment fell by 2,000, resulting in a minor workforce gain of 3,000 since March 2022.
Over the year, the Detroit MSA jobless rate was reduced by 2.1 percentage points. Employment rose by 85,000 and unemployment declined by 42,000 since April 2021. The Detroit MSA’s jobless rate fell by 19.0 percentage points since the height of the pandemic in April 2020.

—Michigan nonfarm employment remains stable in April

According to the monthly survey of employers, Michigan seasonally adjusted payroll jobs remained nearly unchanged over the month, inching down by 2,000 since March. Minor job declines occurred throughout several statewide industries.  

—Industry employment trends and highlights

  • After 11 consecutive months of nonfarm job advances, Michigan payroll employment exhibited a slight numerical decline in April.
  • Manufacturing declined by 1,300, led by layoffs in transportation equipment manufacturing (-2,700).
  • Statewide total nonfarm jobs advanced by 172,000, or 4.1 percent, over the year.
  • The largest over-the-year numerical job gains occurred in the state’s leisure and hospitality sector (+50,000), manufacturing sector (+33,000), and professional and business services sector (+30,000).
  • Total payroll employment surged by 926,000, or 27.2 percent, since the height of the pandemic in April 2020. However, payroll employment in April 2022 remained 127,000, or 2.9 percent, below the February 2020 pre-pandemic level.