The survey was designed and analyzed by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute and conducted by the Social Science Research Facility from November 2 through November 22, 1995. The margin of error for a sample of this size is plus or minus 4.5 percent, at a 95 percent confidence level. The November unemployment rate reported by the state was 3.0 percent for the Milwaukee metropolitan area and 4.8 percent for the City of Milwaukee. The vast majority of central city households with no one looking for work already had at least one employed household member. Only 5 percent of working age households reported no one presently employed and no one interested in finding employment.
Many households depend upon several workers to earn enough to support their families.
Most job seekers were looking for full-time employment. Households were asked how much money job seekers needed to earn in the job sought. Lack of private transportation presents a serious barrier to employment for central city residents interested in jobs located in Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties or areas of Milwaukee County not easily reached by public transportation. License Nearly 60 percent of job seekers identified by the survey were currently unemployed. Unemployed men were far more likely to have recent work experience than unemployed women, but their previous work reflected the volatility of the casual labor market.