KDOL
TOPEKA – The state’s February seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 4.0 percent, according to a report from the Kansas Department of Labor. This was unchanged from January and decreased from 4.3 percent in February 2015.
Ellis County’s unemployment rate dropped slightly from January–0.1 percent–to 3.2 percent February.
All surrounding counties–except Ness, which was unchanged–experienced an increase in unemployment:
Russell–up 1.1% to 4.9%
Trego–up 0.3% to 5%
Rooks–up 0.8% to 5.7%
Graham–up 1.6% to 5.8%
Barton–up 0.7% to 5.2%
Rush–up 0.9% to 4.5%
The preliminary seasonally adjusted job estimates from the Kansas Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate Kansas nonfarm jobs decreased by 1,900 from January. Since last month, Kansas private sector jobs decreased by 1,700. The largest private sector over the month job loss was in Construction.
Over the year Kansas lost 5,400 seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs. Kansas lost 3,900 private sector jobs since February 2015.
“Kansas maintained its low unemployment rate of 4 percent last month, with growth in the labor force and a drop in the number of people who are unemployed,” said Kansas Secretary of Labor, Lana Gordon.
Kansas not seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs decreased by 6,000, a 0.4 percent decrease since February 2015. Not seasonally adjusted figures show Kansas lost 5,100 private sector jobs since last year, or 0.5 percent. The state gained 6,100 total nonfarm jobs over the month, or 0.4 percent. Since January, private sector jobs decreased by 2,600, or 0.2 percent.
”February’s labor market report provided mixed data,” said Emilie Doerksen, Labor Economist, Kansas Department of Labor. “While employers reported fewer jobs on their payrolls, more Kansans actually reported working this month.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised seasonally adjusted preliminary total nonfarm job estimates for January upward by 100 jobs, from 1,397,700 to 1,397,800.
The seasonally adjusted February estimates show 60,656 Kansans were unemployed and 1,452,714 were employed, for a total labor force of 1,513,370. The unemployment rate was 4.0 percent. The February labor force increased by 2,207 from 1,511,163 in January, as 2,292 more Kansans were employed and 85 fewer Kansans were unemployed over the month. The labor force participation rate, the share of working age population employed and unemployed, was 68.3 percent. The labor force was 19,155 above the 1,494,215 February 2015 estimate, with 22,209 more Kansans employed and 3,054 fewer Kansans unemployed.
The March 2016 Labor Report will be released on Friday, April 15.