Highlights

• According to May 2009 estimates, Kansas businesses lost 39,100 jobs in the past year, a 2.8 percent decrease.
  
  
• The May unemployment rate was 6.9 percent, up from 6.2 percent last month and up from 4.1 percent last year.
  
  
• Most major industries reported statewide over-the-year losses. These losses were highest in construction, manufacturing and professional and business services. It is worth noting the construction industry reported over-the-month gains of 800 jobs. The increase is likely attributable to seasonal factors.
  
  
• Some industries still reported modest job gains despite overall losses:
  
  
• Government added 2,500 jobs in the past year, a 0.9 percent increase. Gains in this area were primarily due to additions of outdoor maintenance and pool workers in local government.



• The education and health services industry added 600 jobs over the year, a 0.3 percent increase. These jobs were primarily in the health care service sector.



• The other services industry added 500 jobs over the year, a 0.9 percent increase. Jobs in this sector include repair and maintenance services.
  
  
• There were 20,260 initial claims for unemployment benefits in May 2009, down from 26,667 initial claims for unemployment benefits in April 2009 and up from 10,354 in May 2008.
  
  
• There were 193,746 continued claims for unemployment benefits in May 2009, up slightly from 188,158 continued claims last month and up from 67,417 in May 2008.
  
  
• Last month’s unemployment rate for Kansas has been revised from the previously reported 6.1 percent to 6.2 percent.
  
  
• The June 2009 Labor Report will be released July 17, 2009.

Labor Report Data Bank

Overview        PDF       Excel

Unemployment in Kansas and MSAs    PDF       Excel      Historical Data

Nonfarm Jobs in Kansas and MSAs    PDF       Excel      Historical Data

County Unemployment Map    HTML

County Unemployment Rates    PDF       Excel

Quotes

Kansas Secretary of Labor Jim Garner
"According to this month’s report, we see that initial unemployment claims are trending downward and continuing claims have begun leveling off over the past six weeks. We’ll be watching this activity closely over the next couple of months hoping that we see an actual trend that may tell us if unemployment is beginning to stabilize."

Download audio clip
WMA
MP3

Audio clip for radio stations by Sue Henke, KDOL spokesperson
WMA
MP3