By Trish Svoboda

Preliminary estimates from the Labor Market Information Services (LMIS) division of the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicate a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.1% for June. This marks an increase from 2.9% in May and 2.6% in June 2023.

Seasonally adjusted job estimates for Kansas show that total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 7,600 from May. This includes both private sector and government jobs. Private sector employment increased by 2,200, while government jobs grew by 5,400.

Since June 2023 Kansas’ seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs have increased by 17,900. This change is due to an increase of 15,300 private sector jobs and an increase of 2,600 government jobs.

“In June 2024, the average hourly pay for private sector workers increased by 5.2% over the year reaching $30.61,” said Secretary Amber Shultz. “With inflation slowing down, the actual purchasing power of wages in Kansas increased by 2.6% over the year, while the average number of hours worked stayed the same.” Complete Kansas labor market information for June is available here.

The July 2024 Labor Report will be released on Friday, August 16.