Figures submitted by the state to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show Wisconsin added just over 28,000 private sector jobs in 2013.
It’s the lowest rate of growth for the state since Walker took office, bringing the total number of job created during the governor’s first three years in office to just under 92,000. That’s less than half of the 250,000 private sector jobs Walker promised to help create while running for governor in 2010.
The estimates are based on records from 96 percent of Wisconsin businesses. Federal officials will issue a report in June that verifies the data and that will show how Wisconsin stacked up against other states in 2013 for private sector job growth.
The state also released figures Thursday showing Wisconsin’s unemployment rate fell in April for the ninth straight month, dropping from 5.9 to 5.8 percent. Preliminary numbers show the state added 7,600 private sector jobs last month.
