LINCOLN - Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate for October 2023 is 2.2 percent, seasonally adjusted. The rate is up 0.1 percentage points from the September 2023 rate of 2.1 percent and is down 0.5 percentage points from the October 2022 rate of 2.7 percent.  National unemployment rate rankings are available here: bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm.   

“Employment in private education and health services reached a new all-time high of over 163,000 in October,” said Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin.  “Total statewide nonfarm employment increased by nearly 7,000 over the month.”

Nonfarm employment, a count of filled jobs, was 1,053,548 in October, up 6,949 over the month and up 13,041 over the year.  Private industries with the most growth month to month were trade, transportation, and utilities (up 2,077 jobs); private education and health services (up 987 jobs); and professional and business services (up 903 jobs).  Private industries with the most over the year growth were private education and health services (up 4,188 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up 3,195 jobs), and manufacturing (up 1,864 jobs).

The counts of employed and unemployed in the labor force are based on a survey conducted by the Census Bureau regarding employment status.  Both individuals who are claiming unemployment benefits and those who are not claiming can be counted as unemployed based on their survey responses.  Individuals who are not working and are not seeking work are not considered part of the labor force and are not included in the unemployment rate calculation.

The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for October 2023 is 3.9 percent, up 0.1 percent from the September 2023 rate. The rate is up 0.2 percentage points from the October 2022 rate of 3.7 percent.

Employment data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and NDOL are subject to revisions monthly and annually. For more information, visit www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cestn.htm#section7.

November 2023 Nebraska employment data will be published Friday, December 22, 2023.

Employers looking for qualified applicants are encouraged to post their jobs for free on NEworks.nebraska.gov and partner with their closest job center to take advantage of programs geared at recruiting, upskilling, and expanding their workforce.

More employment data is available at dol.nebraska.gov/INFOlink.  NDOL press releases are accessible here: dol.nebraska.gov/PressRelease.