TOPEKA – In July, private sector employment and nonfarm jobs both showed increases since one year ago with significant increases in some industries, the Kansas Department of Labor reported this month. None the less, the state wide jobless rate was 6.7 percent in July, up from 6.2 in June.
According to the Labor Report, Kansas gained 22,100 private sector jobs since July 2011, a 2 percent increase. Nonfarm employment grew by 19,100 jobs since one year ago, a 1.4 percent gain.
Compared to June 2012, the private sector increased by 2,600 jobs, or 0.2 percent. Nonfarm employment decreased by 16,900 jobs since one month ago, a 1.2 percent decrease mostly caused by a seasonal decline in government jobs at educational institutions.
“Private sector job growth is the encouraging note in this report. Contraction of the labor force and its impact on the unemployment rate is worthy of our attention,” stated Secretary of Labor Karin Brownlee.
Of a total statewide workforce of 1,508,558, 1,407,483 were employed, the KDOL reported. That left 101,120 without work.
In Barton County, rate was 4.6. Out of an available labor pool of 16,867, 16,089 were working, leaving 778 jobless.
Last month, the rate was 4.0 with 15,640 out of 16,297 working, leaving 657 unemployed. In June of 2012, the Barton County rate was 4.4. In July 2011, the rate was 5.0.
 The state’s highest jobless rate was in Kansas City, Kan., at 10.4 percent. Wyandotte County was at 10.1 and Montgomery County was at 9.1. The lows were in Sheridan and Sherman counties with 2.9 and 3.2 respectively.
Seven of the 11 major industries reported job gains since July 2011. Healthcare and social assistance gained 5,300 jobs, a 3.2 percent increase, while heavy and civil engineering construction increased by 2,500 jobs, a 24.3 percent growth.
Six of the 11 major industries saw gains from one month ago. Professional and business services grew by 2,200 jobs, a 1.4 percent increase. Construction added 1,900 jobs, a 3.4 percent gain.
“In July, the size of the labor force contracted by more than 6,100 people. Nearly all of these people came from the ranks of the employed to no longer being part of the labor force,” Tyler Tenbrink, Labor Economist, said. “This is a trend that surfaced early in 2012 and has persisted. The major age group contributing to this trend is the group of workers age 55 and over.”
Many of the above workers leaving the labor force gave the answer that “they do not want a job now” when surveyed. This decline in the civilian labor force affected the unemployment rate.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Kansas was 6.3 percent, down from 6.7 percent one year ago and up from 6.1 percent in June 2012. The non-adjusted unemployment rate was 6.7 percent, down from 7 percent in July 2011 and up from 6.2 percent one month ago.
The August 2012 Labor Report will be released on September 21. For more information, visit www.dol.ks.gov.