Rate is Lowest in the Nation

LINCOLN - The Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) announced today that Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate for July 2021 is 2.3 percent, seasonally adjusted. The rate is down 0.2 percentage points from the June 2021 rate of 2.5 percent and down 2.1 percentage points from the July 2020 rate of 4.4 percent.

“While the unemployment rate has reached a historical low and the number of filled jobs is up significantly over July of 2020, many employers continue to seek qualified talent,” said Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin.   “NDOL’s network of job centers is here to help employers connect with talent through NEworks.nebraska.gov and build their workforce through programs such as on-the-job training, customized training, Youth Earn and Learn and Registered Apprenticeships.

Nonfarm employment was 1,012,649 in July, down 6,429 over the month and up 35,918 over the year. Private industries with the most growth month to month were manufacturing (up 1,019); education and health (up 471); and mining and construction (up 460).  Private industries with the most growth year to year were leisure and hospitality (up 9,301); education and health (up 6,646); and trade, transportation, and utilities (up 5,005). 

The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July 2021 is 5.4 percent, down 0.5 percentage points from the June 2021 rate of 5.9 percent and down 4.8 percentage point from July 2020 rate of 10.2 percent.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) issued the following statement regarding claims data and unemployment estimates: “Data users must be cautious about trying to compare or reconcile the UI claims data with the official unemployment figures gathered through the household survey. The unemployment data derived from the household survey in no way depend upon the eligibility for or receipt of UI benefits. In some cases, UI claims data exclude people who would be identified as unemployed in the household survey, like new entrants to the labor force with no prior work experience. In other cases, UI data may include individuals who do not meet the CPS definition of unemployment.”

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment and unemployment data can be found on the BLS website www.bls.gov/bls/bls-covid-19-questions-and-answers.htm 

August 2021 Nebraska data will be published Friday, September 17, 2021.

National unemployment rate rankings are available here: https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm

More NDOL press releases are accessible here: https://dol.nebraska.gov/PressRelease