April Blog: Workforce Connector

Labor Force Participation Exceeds Pre-Pandemic Levels, with Impact Potential Coming from Eau Claire

Interesting news for the city of Eau Claire, we reported have seen an increase in labor force participation that is reportedly higher than our levels before the pandemic hit. This information was presented by a report from the UW – Madison think tank. This report from the Center of Wisconsin Strategy, (COWS), reported that during the month of February 2022 the state of Wisconsin was at 66.4% labor force participation rate, as compared to 66.1% in February 2020. A small, yet notable increase for the state, and an indication for the city of Eau Claire on our impact. 

Wisconsin now has a state labor force total of 3.14 million as of February 2022, but, still resting on around 77,000 fewer jobs than our pre-pandemic state. However, this increase in unemployment would be related to the loss of jobs in April 2020 during the pandemic spike. 

But, things are looking up for Wisconsin, and we are seeing areas bounce back like no other. For example, our unemployment rate is at 2.9%, tying Wisconsin’s lowest record since February 2020. This is a pretty significant and quick turnaround considering the sudden events that have impacted businesses and citizens of Wisconsin since the pandemic. 

This low unemployment rate will provide workers an increased amount of leverage, with the help of increasingly strong public policy. The article states that “Strong public health, accessible health insurance, and affordable and high-quality care for kids (with decently-paid providers) are ways that the state can help workers stay on the job in the ever-changing context of this global pandemic.” 

Meanwhile, the “new health care workforce effort centered around UW-Eau Claire has the potential to address labor concerns, boost entrepreneurship and improve health outcomes.” With grant aid and partnerships with local medical entities such as Mayo Clinic, Eau Claire in a strong position to expand existing priorities and grow opportunities for a wide variety of individuals in the surrounding areas. 

To read more about these initiatives and plans for keeping the labor force on a successful path please click the link below.