Kansas Unemployment On The Rise

Kansas officials say the state’s unemployment rate rose slightly in July as more individuals entered the labor force looking for work.

The Department of Labor says Monday that that jobless rate rose to 5.9 percent in July, up from 5.8 percent in June. The unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in July 2012.

The rate increase is a result of fewer people working in Kansas at the same time there are more people in the available labor pool.

The state added 800 private sector jobs in July and has gained 23,300 private sector jobs over the past 12 months. However, manufacturing shed 1,900 jobs in July, the second straight month of declines, which labor officials say indicates weakness in the sector.

Professional and business services added 2,300 jobs.