County Jobless Rate Climbs

SIDNEY – Cheyenne County’s unemployment rate spiked in January to 4.9 percent, equating to a total of 252 unemployed individuals. If it seems like it’s all bad news, guess again, says Nebraska Workforce Development local coordinator Marla Hixon. In fact, she has been seeing some positive trending in the county.

“I am feeling very encouraged,” Hixon told The Sidney Sun-Telegraph. “I’m seeing the strongest signs I’ve seen in a year for positive economic development coming in spring/summer this year.”

During the telephone interview, Hixon referred to several new businesses coming to town, including Emagine Concepts and Industrial Structures, Inc., two manufacturing companies setting up in the Adams Industrial Park northwest of Sidney.

Hixon said Emagine Concepts is looking to begin hiring for its local staff within the next four to six weeks, and will be completing that hiring through the local Advance Services, Inc., located in the Sidney Career Center on Greenwood Road.

Also utilizing the hiring capabilities of ASI is Commercial Resins, the company bringing Industrial Structures, Inc., to the area.

“A local construction company is seeking to hiring construction laborers,” Hixon added. “ADC is also hiring for its customer service department.”

According to Hixon, a local transport company is seeking 10 drivers for an added route transporting FedEx trailers.

That kind of positive growth did little to curb Cheyenne County’s unemployment rate as seasonal lay-offs struck regional companies. The number of unemployed people in the county grew by 56 from December to January, which caused a 1.1 percent spike in the unemployment rate.

“I definitely am seeing a slow-down with some employers in the area,” Hixon said. “There’s been a decrease in the hour pool and seasonal employees have been let go.”

Cheyenne County’s 4.9 percent January figure was three-tenths of a percentage higher than the state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate of 4.6 percent – a rate that had remained steady from the month prior.

The state’s rate remained much lower than the national rate in January. According to the U.S. Dept. of Labor, the nation’s unemployment rate in January was 9.7 percent. That’s 2 percent higher than the same month a year prior, officials said.

Nebraska’s unemployment year-to-date comparison trended opposite the national numbers. The January 2010 rate reflected a half-percentage point decrease over the January 2009 rate. That could be due to some industry sector job growth, according to Nebraska Commissioner of Labor, Catherine D. Lang.

Lang’s report states two private industry sectors experienced growth. They were the education and health services industry, noting a growth of 5,479 jobs, and repair and maintenance, which saw a much smaller growth of 113 jobs.

Lang also announced in January an increase to unemployment insurance benefit payments. The maximum weekly benefit increased from $308 to $318, for a maximum payment of $8,268 per benefit year. Lang said wages subject to taxation under the unemployment insurance programs remain unchanged from the 2009 wage base of $9,000.

The Nebraska Department of Labor announced in December the addition of job postings for the state and 50-mile perimeter through an update to its JobLink site that provided a daily download of jobs through Direct Employers Job Central National Labor Exchange. Lang expected the update would increase Nebraska job offerings by 2,000 jobs daily.

“JobLink is an online tool that helps jobseekers and employers connect,” Lang said. “The alliance with Job Central will enrich JobLink and present more opportunities for Nebraskans.”