Unemployment rates stayed the same in June for Nebraska at 4.1 percent and Iowa at 6 percent, while the Omaha area's rate rose 0.3 percent to 4.9 percent, state labor departments said Friday. The national unemployment rate was 9.2 percent.
In Nebraska, 40,780 people were unemployed, 215 fewer than a month ago and 4,470 fewer than in June 2010, the State Department of Labor said, citing seasonally adjusted estimates. The employment estimate was 946,652, down 1,900 from a month ago but up 15,600 from June 2010.
Unemployment claims in Nebraska totaled 14,087 in June, up 325 from May but down 11,700 from June 2010.
Using unadjusted figures, the state said manufacturing gained an estimated 1,400 workers from May and 3,670 from June 2010. The average hours of work per week were 41.4, the same as in May but up 30 minutes from June 2010. Employers often add overtime before hiring more people, in case demand for products or services falls off.
Average weekly earnings gained $4.55 to $683.10, which is up $21.34 since June 2010. Hourly manufacturing wages were $16.50 in June, up 11 cents from May and 32 cents from June 2010.
For Omaha, the state estimated 22,348 people were unemployed, up 1,763 from May but down 1,624 from June 2010. Employment totaled 430,522 in the city, up 4,081 from June 2010, the seasonally adjusted figures showed.
Gains in employment came especially in professional and business services and in trade, transportation and utilities, the report said. The Omaha-area estimates include Cass, Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders and Washington Counties in Nebraska and Pottawattamie, Mills and Harrison Counties in Iowa.
For the city of Omaha alone, the unemployment rate was 4.8 percent and unemployment totaled 11,443, the report said.
In Iowa, 100,900 people were unemployed, up 400 in June from May but down 1,500 from June 2010. Employment totaled 1,567,100, down 6,400 from May but up 9,300 from June 2010. Last month 33,069 people applied for unemployment benefits, down slightly from May and down one-fourth from June.
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