LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Labor Day may mean one last summer getaway, a backyard barbecue or simply the rare Monday when the alarm clock gets the day off. But the holiday was created to celebrate something considerably less relaxing: work.

Michigan Clocks In

So, how many Michiganders are actually working?

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According to the latest state labor data, about 4.64 million Michigan residents were employed in July, while 241,000 were unemployed but actively looking for work. Michigan’s unemployment rate stood at 4.9%, compared with 4.1% nationally.

There is another number worth watching: Michigan’s labor force participation rate – the share of the civilian population age 16 and older either working or looking for work – fell to 59.1%. The state’s employment-population ratio, measuring the percentage actually employed, was 56.2%.

And the workforce has been shrinking. Michigan had 136,000 fewer employed residents in July than it did one year earlier, while its civilian labor force declined by 143,000.

Why We Get Monday Off

Labor Day traces its roots to the labor movement of the late 1800s, when American workers were pushing for better wages, shorter hours and improved working conditions. The first Labor Day celebration took place in New York City on Sept. 5, 1882, complete with a workers’ parade. Congress made Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894, designating the first Monday in September as a national tribute to American workers.

A Day for the People Who Punch In

More than 130 years later, Labor Day remains a salute to the people who build things, fix things, grow things, sell things, deliver things and keep Michigan running.

So enjoy the day off – assuming, of course, your job actually gives you one.