While jobless rates remained flat across Kansas, the state’s Department of Labor says there was at least one positive trend benefiting workers across the state.
Labor economist Nathan Kessler says average nominal hourly earnings for private-sector jobs increased by nearly four percent for the year, based on April estimates.
Locally, the jobless rate for Emporia dipped from 3 percent in March to 2.6 percent in April. Lyon County’s rte went from 3 percent to 2.7 percent.
Areawide, all counties had modest monthly declines. Chase County has the area’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.2 percent. Coffey County has the highest at 3.4 percent, but it also has the largest percentage decline at 0.6 percent.
Statewide, the jobless rate held steady at 2.9 percent from March to April.
