LANSING, MI (WTVB) – Michigan’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate rose sharply in April to 22.7 percent, a monthly jump of 18.4 percentage points, according to data released by state officials Wednesday
Employment in Michigan dropped by 1,130,000, while the number of unemployed grew by 839,000, resulting in a labor force drop of 291,000 over the month.
According to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget, the large monthly unemployment rate advance reflected a continuing and deepening of the pandemic’s impact on the workforce, as most COVID-19-related layoffs began in the second half of March and continued through April.
The national unemployment rate grew significantly by 10.3 percentage points in April to 14.7 percent. Michigan’s rate was 8.0 percentage points above the U.S. rate. Over the year, the national jobless rate advanced by 11.1 percentage points, while the state rate climbed by 18.4 percentage points.
“April’s historic unemployment rate and job declines reflected the first full month of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the state’s labor market,” said Jason Palmer, director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives. “Job losses were widespread across all industry sectors, with especially large employment reductions in leisure and hospitality and manufacturing.”
Michigan’s April 2020 unemployment rate of 22.7 percent is the highest rate since at least 1976 (as far back as comparable estimates go), likely making it an all-time high. The previous high rate over this period was 16.5 percent in December 1982.
The number of unemployed in Michigan was 1,048,000, also an all-time high. The previous peak was 725,000 in June 2009.
