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Unemployment In Wisconsin Drops In May To 12%

MADISON, Wis. (AP/WCCO) -- The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development reports that the state's unemployment rate dropped to 12% in May.

The state's "safer at home" order closing most nonessential businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic was in effect for two weeks that month before being struck down.

The survey of businesses was conducted the week the order was ended, so only a couple days worth of job gains after that are reflected in the numbers.

The 12% unemployment rate was down from the revised 13.6% rate in April.

The national unemployment rate for May was 13.3%. Wisconsin added 72,100 private-sector jobs in May.

On Thursday, officials in Minnesota say that state's unemployment in May rose to the highest dating back to 1976, with a reported 9.9% jobless rate.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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