Monthly Unemployment Rate Stable as Employment Remains High

Release Date: 12/21/2018

The Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) announced today that Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate for November was 2.8 percent, seasonally adjusted. The rate was unchanged from the October 2018 rate of 2.8 percent and is down 0.1 percentage points from the November 2017 rate of 2.9 percent.

“November was another strong month for manufacturing, with a 3 percent employment increase over the year,” said Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin. “The month also saw historical highs for both statewide labor force employment and Lincoln labor force employment.”

Nonfarm employment was 1,039,938, up 12,753 over the year and up 2,263 over the month. Private industries with the most growth year over year were professional and business services (up 4,881), leisure and hospitality services (up 3,546), and manufacturing (up 3,028). Month to month, the largest gains were seen in trade, transportation, and utilities (up 4,024), education and health (up 468), and other services (up 26).

The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November was 3.7 percent, unchanged from the October 2018 rate of 3.7 percent and down 0.4 percentage points from the November 2017 rate of 4.1 percent. For more November data, go to dol.nebraska.gov/InfoLink.

Nonfarm employment data can be found at NEworks.nebraska.gov/CES and Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data can be found at NEworks.nebraska.gov/LAUS.

December 2018 data is scheduled for release on Friday, January 18.