TOPEKA — The unemployment rate increased across the state and in most area countries in May. Franklin and Miami counties, were the exception in the area, seeing a slight decrease in their jobless rates. The Kansas unemployment rate increased from 5.3 percent in April to 5.8 percent in May. The seasonally adjusted rate increased from 5.6 percent to 5.7 percent. The increase in the jobless rate was largely attributed by the Kansas Department of Labor to seasonal losses in transportation, custodial and food service workers as schools and colleges closed for the end of the school year. The Franklin County jobless rate dropped from 6.8 percent in April to 6.7 percent in May.
Miami County dropped from 5.3 percent to 5.8 percent. Other area counties followed the state trend and their unemployment rates increased in May — Anderson County, 6 percent to 6.2 percent from April to May; Osage County, 7 to 7.3, Linn County, 8.3 to 8.5; Douglas County, 5 to 5.6; Johnson County, 4.5 to 4.9. Labor department officials backpedaled the increase in unemployment and emphasized an increase in private-sector jobs, mostly in leisure and hospitality, and professional and business services, traditionally among the lower-paying jobs, and in manufacturing jobs. Not seasonally adjusted data showed an addition of 10,300 private sector jobs from April to May and a gain of 14,400 jobs from May 2012 to May 2013, economist Efua Afful said. “Over the past two months there has been an increase in the seasonally adjusted labor force numbers,” said Lana Gordon, secretary of labor.. “The increase in the labor force suggests that Kansans have confidence in the ability of the economy to provide employment opportunities.”
Wednesday, June 26, 4 p.m.
