Newson, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, has just issued the jobs totals from the census of the state’s employers as of March 31. The census of 96% of the state’s employers for unemployment insurance purposes are far better than the volatile numbers from monthly survey of 3% of the employers. The numbers themsleves were not so hot for the first quarter, an increase of 28,100 from a year earlier and far below the annual pace set by Gov. Walker of 62,500 more jobs per year or 250,000 over his four-year term.
But getting them a quarter earlier than they are released by the feds is a big step forward. If priority number one for the state is job creation, we have to have good, timely numbers. Waiting six months for the feds is unacceptable.
Next up: Newson should release the July 31 numbers forthwith. Companies in the state had to file the second quarter UI numbers by July 31. It’s mid-August. Add up the numbers (computers are good at that) and get them out. Public policy, election campaigns and business decisions hang on the job trends.