The Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) announced today that Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate for June was 2.9 percent, seasonally adjusted. The rate is up 0.1 percentage points from the May 2018 rate of 2.8 percent and is the same as the June 2017 rate.

“The increase in the unemployment rate corresponded with an increase in new entrants to the labor force,” said Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin. “Nonfarm employment continued to climb in June, reaching another new high.”

Nonfarm employment was 1,041,142, up 15,039 over the year and up 1,763 over the month. Private industries with the most growth year over year were manufacturing (up 3,951), professional and business services (up 3,516), and leisure and hospitality (up 2,846). Month to month, the largest gains were seen in mining and construction (up 1,999), professional and business services (up 1,907), and leisure and hospitality (up 816).

The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June was 4.0 percent, up 0.2 percentage points from the May 2018 rate of 3.8 percent and down 0.3 percentage points from the June 2017 rate of 4.3 percent.

For more June data, go to dol.nebraska.gov/InfoLink. Nonfarm employment data can be found at NEworks.nebraska.gov/CES and Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data can be found at NEworks.nebraska.gov/LAUS. July 2018 data is scheduled for release on Friday, August 17.