Topeka — The Kansas unemployment rate for July increased to 6.9 percent, up from 6.5 percent in June and down from 7.9 percent in July 2009, the Kansas Department of Labor reported.
But state officials said there were some positives in the report.
Four of the 11 major industries in Kansas reported over-the-year job gains in July, and the construction industry experienced over-the-year job gains for the fourth consecutive month.
“With over-the-year job growth, and industries like construction that were hit hard by the recession steadily hiring once again, we should be encouraged for the future,” Gov. Mark Parkinson said. “While there are still too many Kansans looking for a job, these are positive signs that we are headed in the right direction,” he said.
There were 23,907 initial claims for unemployment benefits in July, up from 15,551 initial claims in June and down from 33,440 in July 2009. There were 249,950 continued claims in July, down from 263,123 in June and down from 281,618 in July 2009.
The unemployment rate in Douglas County was 6.4 percent, up from 5.7 percent in June and slightly lower than the 6.5 percent rate in July 2009.
The national unemployment rate for July was 9.5 percent.
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kansasmutt (anonymous) says…
I bet it is over 7% in the next months report. I bet by November it is over 10% and going up. Sales tax will be down another 15% more than the 40% from July. Thanks to the smoking ban, it will only keep dropping. Those goofs running this state dont have a clue.
ibroke (anonymous) says…
let me see if i get what you are saying,, the smoking ban is the cause of the unemployment going up???@!!! what!!!??? i am confused please explain
kansasmutt (anonymous) replies…
No, the ban has not as of yet. It will close several businesses though. The tax revenue has dropped off 40% due to the smoking ban and will continue to drop from it and the sharp drop in retail sales.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
How can this be? The current regime has saved or created 8 billion jobs this year.
slowplay (anonymous) replies…
Are you talking about the Republican regime in Kansas?
Liberty_One (anonymous) says…
Remember, these are the government numbers--the real unemployment numbers are much worse.
They changed how they count unemployment in 1994 in order to make the government look better by under-counting the unemployed. For example, when compared to a country like France, let's say, it appears that the US has much less unemployment. However when we look at the percentage of people who are employed, strangely they are almost the same. Nationwide unemployment has hit 22%. That figure includes the long-term unemployed, those who have simply given up, and those who have to take part-time work but can't get a full-time job. The government figure only includes people who have no job and have looked for one in the past four weeks.
westcl (anonymous) says…
There would be more than that if there were anyway a person could get a phone call answered.
Call the Unemployment Bureau and you are put on hold. Then you can wait up to 2 hours and someone comes on line to say there are too many calls waiting so they drop your call.
Our tax dollars are work.
Jimo (anonymous) replies…
I suspect it is the exact opposite: your tax dollars not being put to work.
Economic downturns increase the need for government services. But since revenues also fall during such periods, and the State is prohibited from running a deficit, and Kansas has failed to set aside reserves for down times, budgets are cut back precisely when they are most necessary.
oneeye_wilbur (anonymous) says…
So why hasn't the journal world reported who the 11 industries are and the four who are over the job gains. Is there going to be more stories on this?
As long as Obama keeps the printing presses cranking out money in Ft worth, then the country can blimp along as usual. This winter around November and then December will be the real test of unemployment figures as the stimulus construction jobs are just that, a stimulus but not long lasting.