LANSING — The seasonal adjusted jobless rate edged down by a tenth of a percentage point to 4.2 percent in August, data released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed this week.

Total employment rose by 4,000 over the month while the number of unemployed dropped by about 1,000 people. Overall in August, the state’s workforce edged slightly up.

The Great Lakes State’s unemployment rate was five-tenths of a percentage point higher than the natoinal rate in total.

“Michigan’s labor market remained steady in August,” said Jason Palmer, director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, “Total employment and payroll jobs both recorded minor gains over the month.”

So far Michigan’s workforce has grown in all months of 2019, according to a press release from the Department. This year so far, the state labor force has grown by 69,000, or 1.4 percent, similar to the national growth rate in 2019.

August has been a positive month for employment in recent years as well. The Department added that this was the third consecutive time employment rose during the month in the last three years. The August total was the highest statewide since 2005, it continued.

It wasn’t all good news, however. Michigan’s over-the-year total employment gain of 1.1 percent was below the national employment growth rate of 1.5 percent, the release said.

Detroit Metro jobless rate down slightly

In addition to the above figures, the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Metropolitan Statistical Area’s (MSA’s) seasonally adjusted jobless rate declined by a tenth of a percentage point in August to 4.5 percent. Total employment inched up by 3,000 while the number of unemployed receded by 2,000 over the month.

Detroit’s MSA jobless rate rose by half a percentage point, the released continued.

Notable industry employment gains occurred in professional and business services and government, with each industry adding 5,000 jobs in August.