TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) – On Friday, the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) reported that a preliminary estimate shows a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 5.6 percent in Kansas for November, up from 5.0 percent in October.
“Following months of decline, the unemployment rate in Kansas increased to 5.6 percent in November with over 86,000 unemployed,” Acting Secretary Ryan Wright said in a news release. “The Extended Benefits (EB) program ended on December 12th in Kansas. In addition, two federally funded CARES Act programs, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program, are currently scheduled to end on December 26th, unless Congress acts to extend them.”
Seasonally adjusted job estimates indicate total Kansas nonfarm jobs decreased by 2,900 from October. Private sector jobs, a subset of total nonfarm jobs, decreased by 2,600 from the previous month, while government decreased by 300.
“Nonfarm job growth has slowed in Kansas in recent months,” said Labor Economist Emilie Doerksen. “In November, total nonfarm jobs declined by 2,900, with the majority of this decline in the leisure and hospitality and professional and business services industries. The U.S. has also seen a slower rate of job growth.”
Since November 2019, Kansas seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs have declined by 58,300. This change is due to a decrease of 45,800 private sector jobs and 12,500 government jobs.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised seasonally adjusted preliminary total nonfarm jobs estimates for October downward by 1,000 jobs, from 1,368,900 to 1,367,900. Seasonally adjusted private sector jobs were revised downward by 800 jobs, from 1,120,500 to 1,119,700.
Complete Kansas labor market information for November is available on the Kansas Department of Labor website. The December 2020 Labor Report will be released on Friday, January 22.
If you are unemployed or need to apply for unemployment benefits, visit GetKansasBenefits.gov or call (800) 292-6333.
