The Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) announced today that Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate for May was 3.0 percent, seasonally adjusted. The rate was up 0.1 percentage points from the April 2019 rate and is up 0.2 percentage points from the May 2018 rate of 2.8 percent.

“Nebraska’s number of individuals employed grew to a record level in May (1,034,288), as did total non-farm employment statewide and in Omaha,” said Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin. “The labor force employment increased by 1,461 individuals in May compared to April.  The size of the labor force, individuals employed or seeking work, also increased by 2,247 individuals, aided by the number of new entrants and re-entrants to the job market,” said the Commissioner.

Nebraska’s labor force participation rate increased to its highest point since April of 2016. Because the size of the labor force grew marginally faster than the number of individuals employed, there was a small increase in the unemployment rate even though a record number of Nebraskans were employed in May.

Nonfarm employment was 1,039,501 in May, up 5,583 over the year and up 13,122 over the month. Private industries with the most growth year over year were mining and construction (up 2,104), financial activities (up 1,448) and other services (up 970). Month to month, the largest gains were seen in leisure and hospitality (up 4,600), mining and construction (up 3,048), and trade, transportation, and utilities (up 1,312).

The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May was 3.6 percent, unchanged from the April 2019 rate of 3.6 percent and down 0.2 percentage points from the May 2018 rate of 3.8 percent.

For more May 2019 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.

June 2019 Nebraska data will be published Friday, July 19.

Prepared and distributed by Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL). NDOL press releases are accessible at: dol.nebraska.gov.