TOPEKA — The May unemployment rate didn’t change from April, remaining at 6.3 percent. Kansas gained 8,000 nonfarm jobs over the month, a 0.6 percent increase. Much of the monthly job growth in May was seasonal, but Department of Labor economist Yuan Gao said he still expected a slow and steady job recovery. “We also expect the job growth in Kansas to be dependent on the national and global economic conditions,” he said. That was echoed by Kansas labor secretary Karin Brownlee who said that although the numbers show that the recovery is tentative, it is still going in the right direction. Most of the employment figures in the region were largely stagnant. Franklin County showed among the sharpest drop in the unemployment rate in May dropping to 7.8 percent in May from 8.2 percent in April. A year ago, the Franklin County jobless rate was 9 percent. Miami County’s jobless rate dropped to 6.9 percent in May from 7 percent in April. Anderson County’s jobless rate dropped to 7 percent from 7.1 percent; Osage County dropped 7.9 from 8.5; Douglas County increased to 5.7 from 5.5. Johnson County’s jobless rate increased to 5.8 from 5.6.
Wednesday, July 6, 7:30 a.m.
