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Wisconsin unemployment drops to 8.5%, below national rate

Wisconsin unemployment rate lowest since February 2000
David McNew
<p>PASADENA, CA - MAY 14: Job seekers look over job opening fliers at the WorkSource exhibit, a collaborative effort by governmental agencies to offer jobs and job training resources at the Greater Los Angeles Career Expo at the Pasadena Convention Center on May 14, 2009 in Pasadena, California. Nineteen exhibitors offer job and educational opportunities as well as advice from the Board of Equalization at the event that is open to the general public. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)</p>
Wisconsin unemployment rate lowest since February 2000
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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s unemployment rate dropped to 8.5% in June.

That good news came Thursday as Democratic lawmakers released proposals to remove obstacles and broaden access to unemployment benefits and Gov. Tony Evers’ administration temporarily reassigned 100 state workers to help address a backlog in claims.

The Department of Workforce Development has struggled to process the claims of everyone seeking unemployment.

Currently, about 141,000 people were awaiting payments. Wisconsin's unemployment rate was below the national average of 11.1% and far down from the state's high of 13.6% in April.
Wisconsin added 99,300 private-sector jobs in June.

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