Bad news for the economy: Wisconsin's unemployment rate is up for July

MADISON (AP) — Wisconsin's unemployment rate inched higher to 5.8 percent in July.

The state Department of Workforce Development reported Thursday, August 14th that the rate increased slightly from 5.7 percent the month before. That is below the national rate of 6.2 percent.

The monthly report says there were 3,200 private sector jobs created in the state in July.

The growth was primarily reported in the service industry.

The numbers are based on a survey of roughly 3.5 percent of the state's employers and subject to significant revisions.

More reliable numbers are released quarterly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, but they lag the monthly figures. The latest BLS release in June covered the calendar year 2013 and showed Wisconsin was 37th nationally in new job creation.