Iowa Unemployment Rate for May

Iowa’s unemployment rate ticked up slightly in May, rising to 3.6 percent from 3.5 percent in April — even as nearly 4,000 Iowans rejoined the labor force. According to new data from Iowa Workforce Development, the labor force participation rate rose to 67.3 percent last month, marking a small but notable increase. The total number of unemployed Iowans grew to 62,400, up from 60,700 in April. Still, more Iowans were working in May — the number of employed residents rose by 2,100, reaching over 1.6 million. Beth Townsend, Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development, says the state is ready to help returning job seekers by helping them connect with career planners who understand how to work one-on-one to help match those individuals who want to work with the employers who need their skillsets. Despite the slight rise in unemployment, Townsend says Iowa employers are still hiring — with over 50,000 job openings currently posted statewide. Meanwhile, the national unemployment rate held steady at 4.2 percent.