Kansas shows a slight improvement in job growth in June

The number of jobs in Kansas in June was 1.41 million, up 4,400 from June of a year ago, according to the state Department of Labor’s monthly nonfarm jobs survey.

That’s a year-over-year growth rate of 0.3 percent, an improvement over some months in the winter and spring when the state showed a loss in jobs compared to a year ago.

The biggest gaining sectors were health care, professional and business services, and restaurants and hotels.

The unemployment rate in Kansas was 4.4 percent on a not-seasonally-adjusted basis, down from 4.5 percent a year ago. Once usual seasonal changes are factored in, the unemployment rate was 3.8 percent, down from 4.2 percent a year ago.

In Wichita, the unemployment rate is 4.9 percent on a not-seasonally-adjusted basis, in June, the same as a year ago. The good news is that, according to the survey, about 3,500 more people are working in Wichita than a year ago. The unemployment rate didn’t change because the economy has pulled in people who weren’t seeking work a year ago.

This story was originally published July 22, 2016 at 11:25 AM with the headline "Kansas shows a slight improvement in job growth in June."