SEASONALLY UNADJUSTED unemployment rates in May rose slightly in 12 of the state’s 17 major labor market regions, according to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget. Total employment and labor force levels increased in all areas over the month.

“The jobless rate increases in a number of regions reflected a large influx of workers entering the labor market to obtain seasonal employment,” said Jason Palmer, director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information & Strategic Initiatives. “Although many individuals found employment in May, not all found jobs.”

From April to May, the unemployment rate advances in the 12 regions were minor, and ranged from 0.1 to 0.5 of a percentage point with a median hike of 0.3 of a percentage point. Jobless rates fell in five regions over the month, with the largest declines posted in the state’s three northernmost labor market areas.

In May, all of Michigan’s 17 regional labor markets registered jobless rates below 10.0 percent. Three areas; the Ann Arbor, Holland-Grand Haven, and Grand Rapids-Wyoming Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), displayed unemployment rates below the U.S. seasonally unadjusted May rate of 6.1 percent.

Jobless Rates Down Over Year

Since May 2013, jobless rates fell in all of the state’s 17 major regions. Reductions ranged from 0.8 to 2.1 percentage points with a significant median rate decline of 1.5 percentage points. The largest over-the-year unemployment rate decreases occurred in the Muskegon-Norton Shores and the Niles-Benton Harbor MSAs, with drops of 2.1 and 1.8 percentage points respectively.

Total Employment Up Over Month, Year

In May, total employment levels rose in all 17 areas. Regional increases were wide ranging from 0.2 to 6.1 percent, while registering a notable 1.3 percent median gain. By far, the most pronounced over-the-month total employment percentage advances were posted in the Northeast Lower Michigan region (+6.1%), and the Northwest Lower Michigan region (+5.5%), as hiring geared up for the summer tourism season. These two regions along with the Upper Peninsula combined for a total employment increase in May of 14,000.

In Ann Arbor, the area still as the lowest rate of unemployment in the state. It currently stands at 5.3 percent. The number of unemployed workers jumped 11.1 percent between April 2014 and May 2014 with 1,000 additional individuals reporting as unemployed.

In Battle Creek, data show that total employment numbers are growing more quickly than in Ann Arbor, albeit slightly. Between May 2013 and May 2014, Battle Creek’s total employment number grew by 3.1 percent and Ann Arbor’s grew by 2.8 percent.

The one month change in percentage of unemployed individuals increased the most in Ann Arbor, with an 11.1 percent jump. Battle Creek showed a 7.7 percent increase in unemployment and Detroit showed a 2 percent increase in the number of unemployed individuals.

Flint, Detroit, Bay City and Battle Creek all chalked up large drops in unemployment year over year. In Flint, the number of unemployed individuals dropped by 16.7 percent, in Detroit 12.6 percent. In Ann Arbor, the number of unemployed individuals dropped from 11,400 to 10,000 a 12.3 percent decrease over the past 12 months. It was the smallest overall decrease statewide.

Over the past year, Muskegon registered the largest percentage drop in the number of unemployed individuals, a 22.4 percent decline. The area also saw the size of its labor force rise by 3.8 percent.