Official has economic optimism
Photo 
Manuel Perez
JANESVILLE — Wisconsin's economy is on the mend, and now is the time for disenchanted, dislocated workers to rejoin the workforce, said Manny Perez, who was confirmed a week ago as secretary of the state Department of Workforce Development.
Perez was in Janesville on Wednesday to tour the Rock County Job Center and meet with the Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Board.
Earlier in the day, he announced that Wisconsin's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January fell to 7.4, a slight improvement over the December rate of 7.5 percent. The rate in January 2010 was 9.2 percent.
"This is a great time for individuals to reenter the workforce, help the state reduce its unemployment burden and help revitalize our economy," Perez said.
Many economists have said that Wisconsin mirrors the nation in that official unemployment rates tend to paint a rosier picture of the local economy than really exists, primarily because so many dislocated workers have given up on job searches and are no longer counted as being "officially" unemployed.
Those same economists have said that if all of those disenchanted people suddenly reenter the workforce, unemployment rates will increase.
That's true if those people don't find jobs relatively quickly, said Perez, who added quickly that he's confident the state's job picture is improving.
As evidence, he pointed to Tuesday's release of Manpower's Quarterly Employment Outlook Survey, which indicated that April-June hiring in Wisconsin is expected to outpace the nation.
In Wisconsin, 22 percent of firms surveyed said they plan to hire more workers while 8 percent said they expect reductions in their payrolls. Another 66 percent plan to maintain current staff levels.
"The business outlook for Wisconsin is changing," Perez said. "The governor has been very aggressive in changing the tax and regulatory framework, and that will change the perception and the business outlook in the private sector.
"There is a lot of sentiment in the private sector to grow and to invest."
In addition, Perez said the state is at the beginning of its annual hiring cycle.
The longer people stay out of the job market, the more difficult it is for them to successfully reenter it, he said.
"This is a great opportunity for individuals," he said. "The longer you stay out, the more obsolete your skills become. Now is the time to look at what's available for jobs and take advantage of the programs at the job center to possibly retrain yourself."
Perez said the state's online job site—jobcenterofwisconsin.com—lists 27,000 openings.
More than 600 of them are in Rock County and include jobs that pay from minimum wage up to $33 per hour with benefits.
Mar 10, 2011 at 10:54 p.m.
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Not for long 3children, not for long
Mar 10, 2011 at 10:34 p.m.
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As I have seen more and more how this state is being governed, how the county governments are being restructured and centralized to the state offices, it makes me think that perhaps now is the time to begin looking for employment outside of the state. Maybe I should be looking at homes outside of the state. I hate to sound cliche in claiming the grass to be greener on the other side, but c'mon, this brown stuff over here couldn't qualify as grass if we wanted it to. lol ha!
Mar 10, 2011 at 10:25 p.m.
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Speak grandmaw-----cat got your tongue?
Mar 10, 2011 at 8:20 p.m.
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Here are some other examples of "fiasco's" when other states took over the public assistance programs.
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20...
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/...
Mar 10, 2011 at 7:26 p.m.
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Actually gmaof 3, the bill calls for a the creation of a state Income Maintenance Unit to administer (or rather contract with a private company, probably Hewlett Packard) to do BadgerCare Plus, Medicaid for Elderly Blind and Disabled, and Food Share all over the telephone or computer...no one locally to assist. When that happens 45 county employees will be terminated from employment. W-2 may stay with the county if the county feels that they can afford to run it because of shrinking state money. Oh and when those jobs go to the state, so does the additional county tax levy money that Rock County puts in to support the programs, probably about $750,000.00. So there is another 8 employees. The bill also calls for a 10% reduction in funds for WIA funded programs and the Dislocated Worker funds that served GM and Lear employees are gone. So that will be another 10 employees, oh and because of all of the attack on pensions..a few state staff have decided it is time to retire...and there is a hiring freeze..so they won't be replaced..so now that's another 3. Are you counting? That is 66 staff members gone. Only leaves about 20-25 people left. Those left will have to pay all the rent. You will see the demise of the award winning Rock County Job Center.
Mar 10, 2011 at 6:41 p.m.
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I think we are on the rebound. I do not believe Job Center employees will be affected, at all. This state department is "pro" work and they fulfill a needed function. They a part of Walker's right to work program.
Mar 10, 2011 at 5:20 p.m.
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Everyone should watch this, it's a bit long, 13 minutes, but well worth it! AN ATTACK ON AMERICA'S WORKING CLASS
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#41...
Mar 10, 2011 at 5:08 p.m.
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It was nice that someone from the state level came down to see the Job Center and all of the wonderful resources it offers. Too bad the future of the Job Center is so up in the air. With Walker's proposed Budget, many of the jobs held by employees of the Job Center will be eliminated. Without those tenants, the Job Center will have a hard time maitaining it's current location and level of services. Good thing the unemployment rate is going down and everyone is going back to work.
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