Monthly State Unemployment Rate Down to 2.8 Percent

Release Date: 8/18/2017

The Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) announced today that Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate for July was 2.8 percent, seasonally adjusted. The rate declined 0.1 percentage points from the June 2017 rate of 2.9 percent and is down 0.4 percentage points from the July 2016 rate of 3.2 percent. The preliminary July 2017 unemployment rate of 2.8 percent is the lowest monthly rate since August 2000.

"Several industry sectors have seen positive growth trends over the past few years. Financial activities, professional and businesses services, leisure & hospitality, and other services all reached new employment highs in July," said Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin. "Manufacturing employment in July was also the highest it has been since August 2014."

Nonfarm employment was 1,027,456, up 14,025 over the year and down 10,282 over the month. Private industries with the most growth year over year were professional and business services (up 5,026), leisure and hospitality (up 4,365), and other services (up 2,244). Month to month, the largest gains were seen in professional and business services (up 903); leisure and hospitality (up 433); and other services (up 355). The month to month decline in July was due to employment loss in trade and educational services.

The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July was 4.3 percent, down 0.1 percentage points from the June 2017 rate of 4.4 percent and down 0.6 percentage points from the July 2016 rate of 4.9 percent.

For more July 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.

August 2017 data is scheduled for release on Friday, September 15th.