Highlights

• According to August 2009 estimates, Kansas businesses lost 49,100 jobs in the past year, a 3.6 percent decrease.
  
  
• The August unemployment rate was 7.1 percent, down from 7.8 percent in July and up from 4.7 percent last year.
  
  
• Most major industries reported statewide over-the-year losses. These losses were highest in the following areas:
  
  
• Manufacturing lost 17,900 jobs over the year, a 9.8 percent decrease. The majority of losses in this industry were in durable goods manufacturing.



• Professional and business services lost 13,200 jobs over the year, an 8.8 percent decrease. The majority of losses in this area were in administrative support services, and professional, scientific and technical services.



• Trade, transportation and utilities lost 10,000 jobs over the year, a 3.8 percent decrease. The majority of losses in this industry were in retail trade.



• Three industries reported modest job gains despite overall losses. These gains were highest in government (primarily local government), other services, and the mining and logging industry.
  
  
• There were 20,677 initial claims for unemployment benefits in August 2009, down from 28,359 initial claims for last month and up from 11,392 in August 2008.
  
  
• There were 222,219 continued claims for unemployment benefits in August 2009, up from 208,715 continued claims last month and 75,845 in August 2008.
  
  
• There were 4,653 initial claims and 112,473 continued claims for Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits in August 2009, down from 5,057 initial claims and up from 72,772 continued claims for EUC benefits in July 2009. These claims are in addition to the monthly initial and continued claims numbers.
  
  
• The September 2009 Labor Report will be released October 21, 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

Labor Economist Tyler Tenbrink
"The August Labor Report offers two positive economic signs – a decreasing unemployment rate and a continued slowing in the rate of decline in total nonfarm employment. While this is welcome news, we continue to see job losses in most industries, and some industries are continuing to lose jobs at an increasing rate. Despite the positive indicators in August, continued job loss is expected in the months to come. It remains to be seen whether the rate at which those jobs are lost will continue to decline or begin to pick back up."

This is Tyler Tenbrink, with the Kansas Department of Labor.

Audio clip for radio stations by Jonathan Larance.
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