Nebraska's unemployment rate dropped to 4% in August, giving the state the lowest rate in the nation.
According to the Nebraska Department of Labor, the rate is down from a revised rate of 4.9% in July but up from a rate of 3.1% in August 2019.
Nebraska's rate was slightly lower than Utah's (4.1%) and Idaho's (4.2%) The state with the next-lowest rate was South Dakota at 4.8%.
Nebraska’s employment-to-population rate of 66.8% in August also was tops in the U.S.
“The last time Nebraska’s rate was at this level was in March of this year, which was the start of the pandemic,†Commissioner of Labor John H. Albin said in a news release. “The drop in the unemployment rate correlates with a decline in continued unemployment claims, so it appears that Nebraska is still on a path to economic recovery.â€
While continuing claims in the state have declined significantly, down about 60% in the past two months, they are still well above pre-pandemic levels. Initial claims for unemployment also continue to be high, with last week's claims up slightly from the previous week and still more than triple what they were before the coronavirus pandemic started.
And because the state's unemployment rate has declined, it announced last week it was suspending a program that offered an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits to those who had exhausted their eligibility.
But payments are being issued for the FEMA Lost Wage Assistance Program. Those payments — $300 a week — currently cover the first three weeks of the retroactive program, with payments for additional weeks to be issued when FEMA funding is available. FEMA has notified states that the week ending Sept. 5 will be the last week of the program in all participating states.
Payments for the weeks ending Aug. 1, Aug. 8 and Aug. 15 are currently being issued, with payments for the weeks ending Aug. 22, Aug. 29 and Sept. 5 to be issued when FEMA funding is available.
The benefit applies to those who were unemployed because of COVID-19 and eligible for a weekly benefit amount of at least $100 before taxes during the covered weeks.
The Labor Department said the state lost more than 37,000 jobs in August compared with a year ago, but had nearly 4,100 more than in July.
The Lincoln area's unemployment rate was 3.8% in August, down from 5% in July but a full percentage point higher than in August 2019.
Lincoln saw its number of jobs decline on both a monthly and year-over-year basis. It had 588 fewer jobs in August than in July and 2,254 fewer than in August 2019.
Gov. Pete Ricketts said in a news release that he appreciated the resolve shown over the past six months by "hard-working and resilient" Nebraskans.
"The grit and determination of our people, along with an effective plan to restore growth, have led to incredible results,†he said.
Photos: New construction in Lincoln
Check out new construction in Lincoln
Lincoln Airport
Expansion construction project continues at Lincoln Airport on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.Â
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Bryan East renovation
Three new cardiovascular surgical suites were completed as part of the third phase of the Bryan East Campus renovation in October.
COURTESY PHOTO
Scarlet Hotel
Construction work continues on the exterior of the Scarlet Hotel on Oct. 19 at Nebraska Innovation Campus. The 154-room hotel will have a roughly 2,600-square-foot first floor that will include education space, a student lounge, conference room and faculty offices. Among the other features of the $31 million project are a full-service restaurant, rooftop bar, coffee shop and a fitness center. The Marriott Tribute property was originally scheduled to open in July, but the hotel's website says it's now set to open in February 2022.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Tabitha's intergenerational housing community
Tabitha is planning an intergenerational housing community on the southwest corner of 48th and L streets. The 128-unit apartment complex would be home to 100-plus independent older adults and about 20 students enrolled at the nearby Bryan College of Health Sciences.
DAVIS DESIGN, COURTESY IMAGE
Stand Bear High School
Construction continues on Standing Bear High School at South 70th Street and Saltillo Road on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.Â
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Sower
Scaffolding surrounds The Sower, a 19-foot tall bronze statue which represents Nebraska's agricultural heritage, on Sept. 23, 2021, at the Nebraska State Capitol, as part of restoration and repair work which is expected to take 20 weeks. The scaffolding will enclose the entire dome allowing the workers to remove and store any loose gold glazed tile while they replace the water-damaged bed beneath.Â
FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR
Car wash construction
Jet Splash is building a new car wash at 40th and South streets.
FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR
Car Wash
Rocket Car Wash next to the Hy-Vee in Williamsburg, which is just southwest of 40th and Old Cheney, is one of two full-service car washes under construction on Sept. 22, 2021.
FRANCIS GARDLER, JOURNAL STAR
48th and Leighton
The proposed Comprehensive Plan calls for 25% of the new growth to be inside existing neighborhoods and corridors of the city, like the new apartments being built near 48th and Leighton Avenue.
EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
South Canopy
Apartments under construction at South Canopy and N streets on Sept. 3, 2021.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Mabel Lee Hall
Construction of Mabel Lee Hall at North 14th and Vine streets continues on Sept. 3, 2021.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Walmart garden center
Walmart is demolishing part of the garden center at its store at 8700 Andermatt Drive to install automated order fulfillment towers.
EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star file photo
Holiday Inn Express
Exterior of the newly opened Holiday Inn Express & Suites on Thursday, August 13, 2021.Â
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Mourning Hope Grief Center
The new Mourning Hope Grief Center includes space for other nonprofits.
EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Kiewit Hall
The future site of Kiewit Hall, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's new engineering building set to open in 2023, is seen under construction in late June. Abel and Sandoz residence halls stand in the background.
JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Lincoln Northwest construction
Construction work continues on Lincoln Northwest High School on Tuesday, May 25, 2021.Â
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
South Beltway
The flyover bridge that will connect U.S. 77 to the South Beltway stretches to the southwest as construction work continues on Wednesday, May 12, 2021.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star file photo
Cooper Park and Park Middle School
Orange construction fencing encloses part of Park Middle School in April 2021 adjacent to South Sixth Street, near where a new entry to the parking lot will be built.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Lied Place Residences
Developers of Lied Place Residences are still working to finalize a tenant for a first-floor restaurant with state-of-the-art air filtration and outdoor café-style seating on Q Street.
Courtesy image
VA Clinic
Stairs lead from the lobby to the second floor of the new Lincoln Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Pershing proposals/White Lotus Group/HDR
White Lotus Group and HDR propose a mixed-use community hub for the site it calls Mural, which would combine affordable housing, retail, a wellness center and central library with murals throughout the Pershing Center block.
COURTESY IMAGE
State office building
A nighttime rendering of the planned State of Nebraska office building at 17th and K streets. The four-story building would have two levels of parking and two floors of office space.
Courtesy image
Daq Shaq
This rendering shows what the interior of Daq Shaq at Leighton District will look like. The island-themed restaurant is scheduled to open before the end of the year in the development at 48th Street and Leighton Avenue.
Courtesy image
Child Advocacy Center
This rendering shows a plan for a 17,000-square-foot expansion of the Child Advocacy Center in northeast Lincoln that would also become home to the Lincoln Police Department's Special Victims Unit.
Courtesy rendering
Unity Commons
An architect’s rendering shows Unity Commons, a planned mixed-use development, from the intersection of 22nd and Vine streets. The redevelopment of the former Cushman site would include housing for retirees and members of the city's international community, as well as retail and research space.
Clark & Enersen, COURTESY PHOTO
NE Realty building
A rendering of the Nebraska Realty building in Lincoln. The company's workforce in the Capital City has grown from two agents to more than 200 in the past five years.
DLR GROUP
Scheels Center
A rendering shows the Scheels Center, a planned 40,000-square-foot addition to Lincoln Christian School.
CLARK & ENERSEN, Courtesy image
Tabitha
Tabitha is planning an intergenerational housing community on the southwest corner of 48th and L streets. The 138-unit apartment complex would be home to 100-plus independent older adults and about 20 students enrolled at the nearby Bryan College of Health Sciences.
DAVIS DESIGN, COURTESY IMAGE
Union College AdventHealth Complex
A rendering shows the exterior of the planned Union College AdventHealth Complex.
Courtesy image
WarHorse casino
Developers of the proposed WarHorse Casino in Lincoln say they are ready to break ground the minute they get a gaming license.Â
Courtesy image
NU training facility
A rendering shows the athlete entry to Nebraska's new training facility, which will open before the 2023 football season.
Nebraska Communications
NorthStar Crossing
An artist's rendering shows plans for NorthStar Crossing, northeast of 27th Street and Folkways Boulevard, which The Lerner Co. says will have its first businesses open in early 2022.
The Lerner Co., Courtesy image
CEDARS expansion
Cedars broke ground in November 2020 and is raising funds for the $3.5 million, 3,800-square-foot expansion of its emergency youth shelter in southeast Lincoln.
COURTESY IMAGE
North Concourse
A rendering shows plans for a modern terminal concourse at the Lincoln Airport, with food and beverage services and access to restrooms and the Flyers Club available to passengers after clearing security.
Alliiance, Courtesy image
Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com .
On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz.
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