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

“Nebraska’s labor force employment for December was the highest level ever recorded,” said Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin. “The increase of 3,465 from November to December is the largest month to month statewide increase on record.” Nonfarm employment was 1,037,475, up 12,525 over the year and down 3,740 over the month.

Private industries with the most growth year over year were professional and business services (up 4,080), manufacturing (up 3,396), and leisure and hospitality (up 3,207). Month to month, the largest gains were seen in financial activities (up 900), other services (up 148), and information (up 23). The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December was 3.9 percent, up from the November 2018 rate of 3.7 percent and down 0.2 percentage points from the December 2017 rate of 4.1 percent.

For more December 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.

January 2019 data is scheduled for release on Monday, March 11.