Loss of government jobs in July pushes Kansas’ unemployment rate to 3.2%

State and federal agencies reported Friday that Kansas' unemployment rate climbed to 3.2% in July. It was the fourth consecutive monthly increase in the jobless rate. The state's unemployment figure ranged from 2.6% to 2.7% from March 2023 to March 2024. (Getty Images)

TOPEKA — The jobless rate in Kansas increased for the fourth consecutive month to 3.2% in July to reach the highest level of unemployment in nearly three years.

In the five-state region, Nebraska’s rate was lower last month at 2.6%, but the three other neighboring states had more significant challenges with employment than Kansas. Oklahoma reported 3.8% of its workforce was without a job, while the same could be said for 3.8% in Missouri and 3.9% in Colorado.

Preliminary estimates from the Kansas Department of Labor and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Kansas moved to 3.2% in July. The state’s preliminary figure for June was 3.1%, but that was revised downward to 3%. The rate has steadily climbed in Kansas from 2.7% in March.

Joblessness in Kansas was at 3.3% in August 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but settled between 2.6% and 2.7% from March 2023 to March 2024. The subsequent climb: 2.8% in April, 2.9% in May, 3% in June and 3.2% in July.

“Kansas employers in the private sector added jobs in July. However this growth was offset by a decline in government jobs, which resulted in the overall decrease for total nonfarm estimates,” said Emilie Doerksen, an economist with the state Department of Labor.

She said growth in Kansas private sector employment in July centered on professional and business services, but included improvement in the areas of trade, transportation and utilities. In addition to the decline in government employment during July, the state lost jobs in information technology and mining and logging.

The state Department of Labor reported Kansas increased private sector employment by 22,800 jobs since July 2023 despite loss of 1,700 government positions.

The national unemployment rate increased 0.2 percentage points in July to set a new mark of 4.3%. The rate in July 2023 was 3.5%, the Department of Labor Statistics said. In July, the federal agency said, 13 states reported higher unemployment rates. Thirty-six states and the District of Columbia were stable, while one state had a lower rate.