Michigan Adds 27,000 Jobs; Unemployment Claims Down 40% 

The US economy added 467,000 jobs in January, following 1.1 million added in November and December. More than six in 10 Michiganders believe the state’s job market is strong.

Need to Know

• The strong figure comes after 1.1 million jobs were added in November and December. The US added more than 6 million jobs in 2021.
• General Motors has announced plans to create more than 4,000 jobs in Michigan.
• Gov. Whitmer in January introduced plans to repeal the retirement tax, lower taxes for working families, give childcare workers a bonus, and lower the cost of electric vehicles.

MICHIGAN–The economy continues to show strong signs of recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, adding an impressive 467,000 jobs in January even as the omicron variant surged, the US Department of Labor reported on Friday. 

In Michigan, the number of unemployment claims has fallen by 40% year-over-year and the state added a strong 27,000 jobs over the final two months of 2021. Nationwide, the economy added more than 1.1 million jobs in November and December as the economy grew by a robust 5.7% last year.

While Michigan-specific jobs data for January won’t come out until next month, more than six in 10 Michiganders believe the state’s job market is either “very” or “somewhat” strong.

General Motors also announced late last month that it would invest $7 billion in four manufacturing facilities in Lansing and Orion Township, making Michigan the “hub” of electric vehicle development and manufacturing. The company claims the move will create 4,000 jobs and retain 1,000 others and economists expect the ripple effect will also create thousands more jobs.

Smaller companies also continue to expand and invest in Michigan. West Contract Manufacturing announced in January that it would invest $6 million in the city of Walker, creating up to 110 jobs. 

“The decision by West Contract Manufacturing to expand in Michigan underscores the strength of Michigan’s business climate, our leadership in manufacturing across industry sectors and creates good jobs for our residents,” Governor Whitmer said in a statement. “This is great news for workers, their families, and our economy as we continue putting Michiganders first.”  

RELATED: New Poll: 63% of Michiganders Are Feeling the Economic Boom and Stronger Job Market

Whitmer, a Democrat, has made investing in the state’s economy and cutting taxes her top priorities. In January alone, she announced plans to:

• repeal the retirement tax to save 500,000 Michigan households an estimated $1,000 per year
• expand a tax credit to give 730,000 Michiganders another $350 a year on average
• give 38,000 childcare workers a bonus of up to $1,000 and provide funds to nearly 6,000 childcare programs to help keep programs open, recruit new workers, and provide services to families who may not otherwise be able to afford the cost.
• create a new infrastructure office that will oversee more than $10 billion in federal infrastructure investments in the state and create thousands of jobs.
• lower the cost of electric vehicles.

Most recently, she touted the state’s Michigan Reconnect program, which helps those 25 and older who do not have college degrees attend community colleges or private training schools with free or deeply discounted tuition. The program, which launched in February 2021, has helped put more than 91,000 Michigan students on the path to getting associate degrees or skills certificates.