There has been another jump in jobless numbers for Emporia and Lyon County.
Emporia’s jobless rate for January is reported at 5.6 percent, up from December’s 4.3 percent, according to the Kansas Department of Labor. Lyon County’s rate went from 4.1 to 5.3 percent month-to-month. The numbers do not account for the Hopkins Manufacturing shutdown that displaced around 130 workers in late February.
All area counties had monthly increases ranging from 0.7 almost 1.5 percentage points. Morris County has the lowest unemployment rate areawide at 3.5 percent. Chase County has the area high at 5.1 percent. Greenwood County has the biggest monthly jump at 1.4 percentage points.
The statewide rate is 3.9 percent, up slightly from December’s mark of 3.8 percent.
The Kansas Department of Labor says there were job gains in professional and business services, but there were also overall decreases in construction and financial activities between December and January.
