Kansas jobs, August 2020

The employment situation in Kansas rose continued to improve in August 2020 as the response to the pandemic continued to affect the economy.

Data released today from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the United States Department of Labor, shows the effect of the pandemic and the response to it on employment in Kansas for August 2020.

(Click charts and tables for larger versions.)

Using seasonally adjusted data, from July 2020 to August 2020, nonfarm employment in Kansas rose by 9,300 (0.7 percent). Over the year, the number of Kansas nonfarm jobs for August 2020 was lower by 61,400 (4.3 percent) over the same month last year. This is using seasonally adjusted data. The non-adjusted figure is 63,200 fewer jobs (4.5 percent).

Over the year (August 2019 to August 2020), the Kansas labor force is up by 9,280 (0.6 percent) using seasonally adjusted data, with an increase of 6,038 (0.4 percent) over the last month. Non-seasonal data shows a rise of 9,427 (0.6 percent) in the labor force over the year.

Of note: While the number of jobs and working people rose by large amounts in August, both are smaller than before the response to the pandemic.

The number of unemployed persons fell from July 2020 to August 2020 by 3,557 (3.3 percent). The unemployment rate was 6.9 percent in August, up 3.8 percentage points from one year ago, and down 0.3 percentage points from last month.

Comparing Kansas to the nation: Using seasonal data, the number of Kansas nonfarm jobs is 4.30 percent lower than 12 months ago, while nationally, the same statistic is 6.78 percent lower. Non-seasonal data shows the number of Kansas nonfarm jobs is 4.46 percent lower than 12 months ago, while nationally, the same statistic is 6.98 percent lower.

Click charts and tables for larger versions.

In the following chart showing job changes from the previous month, the magnitude of the changes in April through August overwhelms the other months. The rise in August employment is smaller than the rise from May through July.

In the following chart of job levels from the same month one year ago, the August figures show the loss of jobs becoming less pronounced, a trend that has lasted four months.

The June release contained figures for industry groups. The following chart shows the number of employees in August 2019 and August 2020.

This chart uses the same data, showing the percent change from August 2019. The Leisure and hospitality category is still the lowest, proportionally, followed by Mining and logging. Construction gained employees over the year. (Note the horizontal scale is from positive to negative values when moving left to right.)