Nebraska Unemployment Rate Remains Low

The Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) announced today that Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate for June 2024 is 2.6 percent, seasonally adjusted. The rate is up 0.1 percent from the May 2024 rate and is up 0.4 percentage points from the June 2023 rate of 2.2 percent.  Nebraska's rate is ranked fifth lowest in the nation.  

“June was another record-breaking month for nonfarm employment, which surpassed 1,080,000,” said Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin. “Omaha added the most jobs compared to a year ago, and the private education and health services industry saw the largest over-the-year growth at over 6,600 jobs.”

The counts of employed and unemployed in the labor force are based on a survey conducted by the Census Bureau regarding employment status.  Individuals who are claiming unemployment benefits and those who are not claiming unemployment benefits can be counted as unemployed based on their survey responses.  Individuals who are not working and are not seeking work are not considered part of the labor force and are not included in the unemployment rate calculation.

Nonfarm employment, a count of filled jobs, reached 1,080,626, up 3,832 over the month and 18,002 over the year. Private industries with the most growth month to month were trade, transportation, and utilities (up 2,214 jobs); professional and business services (up 2,119 jobs); and leisure and hospitality services (up 1,796 jobs). Private industries with the most over-the-year growth were private education and health services (up 6,612 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (up 4,019 jobs); and manufacturing (up 3,868 jobs).

The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June 2024 is 4.1 percent, up 0.1 percentage points from the May 2024 rate of 4.0 percent and up 0.5 percentage points from the June 2023 rate of 3.6 percent.

July 2024 Nebraska employment data will be published Friday, August 16, 2024.

Employers looking for qualified applicants are encouraged to post their jobs for free on NEworks.nebraska.gov and partner with their closest job center to take advantage of programs geared at recruiting, upskilling, and expanding their workforce.