Unemployment is ticking up across the KVOE listening area.
The latest report from the Kansas Department of Labor is for January. In it, Emporia’s jobless rate went from 3.5 percent in December and 2.8 percent a year ago to 4.2 percent. Lyon County’s rate went from 3.3 percent in December and 2.9 percent a year ago to 4 percent.
Areawide, there were increases as well, and the month-to-month increase was at or above a full percentage point for all but one neighboring county. Morris County has the area’s lowest unemployment rate at 3.7 percent, but that follows 2.4 percent in December and is the area’s biggest jump between months. Coffey County has the area’s high unemployment rate at 5.1 percent, above December’s mark of 4 percent. Chase County had the smallest monthly increase, from 3.5 to 4 percent.
Statewide, the seasonal adjusted rate held flat at 3.8 percent between December and January. It was at 3.1 percent a year ago.
Locally, the report follows announcements of business closures like Tyson Foods and Holiday Resort in early December. KDOL has not said whether those are contributing factors to the rise in jobless percentages or whether there are other reasons.
