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NEBRASKA WORKFORCE

TRENDSJULY 2019 ISSUE | NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Inside this issueRoad Trip Across Nebraska

Map Facts: 2019 Nebraska County Fairs

Fast Facts: Spotlight on Construction in Nebraska

2

Image by lisa runnels from Pixabay

3 Openings & Expansions

4 Map Facts: 2019 Nebraska County Fairs

10 Fast Facts: Spotlight on Construction in Nebraska

16 Economic Indicators

18 May 2019 County Rates

6 What’s ‘On Tap’ for Nebraska’s Craft Beer Industry

13 Road Trip Across Nebraska

Contents

Helpful LinksLabor Market Publications

Previous Issues

NEworks.nebraska.gov

Reader Feedback Survey

CreditsCommissionerJohn H. Albin

LMI Administrator Phil Baker

Editors Rachel StevensGrace Johnson Scott Hunzeker

Graphic Designer Hillary Lee

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Nebraska Workforce Trends is published by the Nebraska Department of Labor in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.

Openings & Expansions MayKermit Spade, Research Analyst

Business Category Business Name Location

Food & Entertainment

Legends Bar & GrillMac’s Creek Winery and Brewery (Expansion)

BeatriceLexington

Health & Fitness Diabetes & Wellness Clinic (Expansion) Norfolk

Retail/Sales

Bugs & Pets Cartridge World (New Location)

Casey’s General StoreDollar General

Heartland Motors and Wrenchman Auto (Merger & Expansion)Re-Barn

Sonny’s Super Foods Deli West Point Auto & Truck Center (Expansion)

Wireless World

BeatriceNorfolkCozad

ElwoodBeatriceBeatrice

CozadWest Point

Sidney

Other

Fairbury Municipal WaterparkG.L. Huyett Technology Center

North Fork Outfitting (Expansion)UST Global/Xpanxion (Expansion)

FairburySidney

NorfolkSidney

Source:Nebraska Department of LaborOpenings and expansions listed are a sampling of activity reported for that month. Some activity may have occurred outside the month. If you have an opening or expansion to report, contact us at LMI_NE@nebraska.gov.

JULY 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

4

Map Source: Nebraska Association of Fair Managers. 2019.

Fairs by County, Summer 2019

2019 Nebraska County Fairs

Map FactsDillon Cornett, Research Analyst

This month’s Map Facts highlights the economic impact of county, state, and other fairs across Nebraska. Six Nebraska counties hold more than one fair (Buffalo, Douglas, Fillmore, Frontier, Hall, and Valley), while eight counties are not holding any fairs within their borders in 2019. (1)

Amusement and recreation attendants are the occupation most directly associated with county and state fairs, and more than 600 individuals were employed in this occupation in Nebraska as of May 2018, about 400 of whom worked in the amusement, gambling, and recreation industry. According to May 2019 data from the Nebraska Department of Labor’s Occupational Employment Statistics program, the average hourly wage for amusement and recreation attendants across all industries was $10.35, and the average annual salary was $21,527. (2)

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Sources:1. Nebraska Association of Fair Managers. Member Fairs. [Online] June 14, 2019. https://nebraskafairs.org/fairs.php.2. Nebraska Department of Labor. Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Program. Employment and Wage Estimates. [Online] 1st Quarter 2019. [Cited: June 13, 2019.]

bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ne.htm .3. Post, R.J. Study shows State Fair brings more than $22 million to Grand Island. Omaha World-Herald. [Online] September 6, 2014. https://www.omaha.com/news/

nebraska/study-shows-state-fair-brings-more-than-million-to-grand/article_811c3c28-35d3-11e4-8532-0017a43b2370.html.

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay Image by Robindo from Pixabay

Image by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Fairs also bring broader economic activity to the surrounding communities, as measured in a 2014 study on the effect of the Nebraska State Fair in Hall County. Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce president Cindy Johnson reported that State Fair operations had a $7.6 million impact on the Grand Island area in 2013, and State Fair visitors brought another $14.7 million in economic activity. The study did not consider every business segment or ticket sales, but did take into account retail, gasoline, food and beverage sales, and accommodation expenditures. (3)

To further explore opportunities to attend Nebraska’s fairs and carnivals this summer, visit the interactive version of this month’s map on the Nebraska Department of Labor’s Tableau Public page. The interactive map provides informa-tion such as location, dates, and contact information for each upcoming fair statewide. Click on the filter to choose a type of fair, and click on a county for more information. Additional information is also available through the Nebraska Association of Fair Managers.

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What’s ‘On Tap’ for Nebraska’s Craft Beer IndustryBrandon Jones, Research Analyst

Less than ten years ago, Nebraskans might have had a hard time naming even one Nebraska craft brewery. Today, as the state’s craft beer industry has taken off, most Nebraskans likely know of at least a few local breweries, while avid beer fans might be familiar with a dozen or more. Besides a wider range of options for thirsty consumers, this rise in the popularity and availability of craft brews has also brought a number of impacts on Nebraska’s economy. In this article, we’ll explore how these trends have taken shape, and where they might go in the future.

Brewery Growth by the NumbersNebraska craft breweries have been growing rapidly and steadily over the last decade. With craft beer seeing so much suc-cess in markets nationwide, Nebraska brewers have ventured to do the same. Since 2011, 32 craft breweries have opened for business in Nebraska, a 178% increase from 2011-2018. The biggest jump occurred in 2015-2016, when nine new brew-ery businesses were established. (1)

Although the state’s brewers have enjoyed significant growth in recent years, Nebraska still accounts for just 0.6% of the 7,450 craft breweries currently operating nationwide. This puts Nebraska at #34 in terms of number of breweries per state. Compared to surrounding states, Nebraska sits right in the middle of the rankings, with more breweries than South Dakota, Wyoming, and Kansas, but fewer than Iowa, Missouri, and Colorado. (1)

From 2013-2018, overall employment in Nebraska's beverage and tobacco product manufacturing industry increased by a total of 25.7%, with the largest single-year increase occurring in 2016-2017, at 11.8%. That translates to an estimated 192 new jobs statewide, from 746 in 2013 to 938 in 2018. During that same time period, employment in Nebraska's manu-facturing sector as a whole increased by 2.6%. Beverage and tobacco manufacturing made up just 0.9% of all Nebraska manufacturing jobs in 2018, but employment growth in this subsector rose by nearly ten times as much as in the state's manufacturing sector as a whole from 2013-2018. (2)

Number of Breweries Operating in NE, 2011-2018

Chart Source: Brewer’s Association. Nebraska Craft Beer Sales Statistics. 2018.

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The ten most common occupations involved in brewing, considered together, paid an average annual wage of $39,073 in Nebraska as of May 2018. The highest-earning occupation was general and opera-tions managers, at $83,083 per year, followed by first-line supervisors of production and operating workers, at $56,233. The lowest-paid posi-tions were bartenders, at an average annual wage of $24,220, and helpers of production workers, at $25,407 per year. For comparison, the estimated

average annual wage for all occupations and all industries in Nebraska during the same time period was $46,710, more than $7,637 above the average salary for brewing occupations alone. (3)

The national average for these same occupations was $46,054 per year, $6,981 more than in Nebraska. Most of the occupa-tions had a nationwide average wage only slightly above Nebraska’s, a difference of about $2,000 to $3,000, but general and operations managers, sales representatives, and customer service representatives all earned substantially higher salaries nationally than they did in Nebraska, with a difference of $32,347, $18,925 and $7,877 per year respectively. (4) However, Nebraska’s cost of living is lower than the national average.

NE vs. Neighboring States: Number of Breweries

Chart Source: Brewers Association. Nebraska Craft Beer Sales Statistics. 2018.

Avg. Annual Wages for Beverage Manufacturing Industry Workers by Occupation, May 2018

Chart Sources: Nebraska Department of Labor. Occupational Employment Statistics. May 2018. & U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. May 2018.

8

Economic Impacts for NebraskaEvery year, the Brewers Association, a national brewing industry trade group, publishes an economic impact study measur-ing the economic contributions of craft breweries around the United States. The study is built on the results of two nation-wide surveys conducted by the Brewers Association, as well as government and market data. (5)

This Economic Impact Study defines craft brewers according to three main traits: craft breweries are small, independent, and traditional.

The study calculates the economic impact of craft breweries by considering direct, indirect, and induced impacts. This covers craft breweries, wholesalers, retailers, suppliers of raw materials, such as barley and brewing equipment, and how workers in the industry use their wages to purchase additional good and services. (5)

According to Brewers Association data from 2017, Nebraska ranked #33 out of 50 states in terms of craft breweries' eco-nomic impact, with an estimated $465 million in economic activity generated by brewing. Nebraska had 3.6 breweries per 100,000 adults, which put it at #22 nationally. Nebraska ranked #43 for total barrels of beer produced, with 54,640 bar-rels brewed in 2017. This means that there was an estimated $8,510 in economic impact per barrel of craft beer produced in Nebraska during that year. (1)

Across the United States, overall beer production fell 1.0% during 2018. At the same time, production of craft brews increased by about 4.0%. Craft breweries now produce 13.2% of total American beer production, and account for more than 24.0% of the overall beer sales nationwide. That represents a 7.0% increase from 2017, or $27.6 billion out of $114.2 billion in overall total U.S. beer sales. (6)

Small - Meaning the brewery has 6 million barrels or less in annual production. (As a state, Nebraska only produced 54,640 barrels in 2017.)

Independent - Meaning that less than 25% of the brewery is owned or controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer.

Traditional - Meaning that a majority of its products are brewed using traditional or innovative brewing methods. (Flavored malt beverages are not considered beers.)

PRODUCTION

1.2Gallons per 21+ Adult

(Ranks 37th)

54,640Barrels of Craft Beer

Produced(Ranks 43rd)

3.6Breweries

per Capita**per 100,000 21+ Adults

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Craft Breweries(Ranks 34th)

50 465Million Economic Impact

(Ranks 33rd)

351.53Impact per Capita

(Ranks 17th)

Nebraska's Craft Beer Sales & Production Statistics, 2018

Source: Brewers Association. Nebraska Craft Beer Sales Statistics. 2018.

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Sources:1. Association, Brewers. Nebraska Craft Beer Sales Statistics, 2018. Brewers Assocaion For Small and Independent Craft Brewers. [Online] May 28, 2019. https://www.

brewersassociation.org/statistics/by-state/?state=NE.2. U.S. Census Bureau. Quarterly Workforce Indicators. QWI Explorer. [Online] 2019. https://qwiexplorer.ces.census.gov/static/explore.html.3. Nebraska Department of Labor, Office of Labor Market Information, Occupational Employment Statistics. May 2018 Occupational Employment Survey. Lincoln : s.n., May

2019.4. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2018 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates(NAICS 312100). Bureau of Labor Statistics. [Online] June

5th, 2019. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_312100.htm.5. Brewers Association. Brewers Association Economic Impact Study Methodology Overview. Brewers Association. [Online] June 3rd, 2019. https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.

com/brewersassoc/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Brewers-Association-Economic-Impact-Study-Methodology.pdf.6. Brewers Assocation. National Beer Sales and Production Data. Brewers Association for Small and Independent Craft Brewers. [Online] May 23rd, 2019. https://www.

brewersassociation.org/statistics/national-beer-sales-production-data/.7. Ayala, Gabby. Executive Director of the Nebraska Craft Brewers Guild. [interv.] Brandon Jones. May 14th , 2019.

Gabby Ayala has been the Executive Director of the Nebraska Craft Brewers Guild (NCBG) since September 2017. Although Nebraska has a relatively small number of craft breweries compared to some other states, Ayala said the biggest change she has seen was the jump in the number of breweries opening statewide. “Nebraska has gone from 18 breweries in 2011 to 50 in 2018, with the biggest jump coming in 2015 to 2016 with 11 openings. Since I have been working for NCBG, I have only seen two breweries close. That’s pretty good, because it is not easy to open your own brewery,” Ayala said. (7)

Ayala said people in both large and small communities around the state get excited about finding something new, and they often want to share it with everyone. When a consumer buys a locally produced craft beer, that purchase supports a local business and their employees. The producers of raw agricultural products and wholesalers of materials used to brew beer also profit from the brewery’s success. The money exchanged stays in the community, and creates tax revenue for state and local governments. (7)

Ayala also noted that the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has received grant funding to conduct a study looking into the state’s brewing industry’s impact on travel and tourism. This study is expected to be published this summer, and should offer some interesting details on another way Nebraska’s growing craft beer industry is affecting the state’s economy. The univer-sity also has other ongoing research projects related to brewing, including one conducted by the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture to study Nebraska hops and how eight specific varieties grow in local soil conditions. (7)

Last CallCraft beer is a growing trend here in Nebraska and around the country. While Nebraska may not produce much beer in comparison to some of our neighbors, the state’s brewing manufacturing industry is on the rise. What’s more, craft brewery production and sales are out-performing all brew-eries overall, suggesting that the beer industry has been increasingly trending toward craft brews.

It’s clear that with more breweries comes more jobs, more production, and more sales, giving the state’s craft brew-ing industry a significant and growing economic impact. In fact, Nebraska’s local craft breweries have more ‘on tap’ than just some tasty beers—they also served up an estimated $465 million in economic activity statewide in 2017. I’ll toast to that! Image by Veeka Skaya from Pixabay

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Fast FactsJodie Meyer, Research Analyst

Spotlight on Construction in Nebraska

The number of workers employed in Nebraska’s construction sector in July 2018 , the peak month for construction employment that year. Because construction is a seasonal industry, its employment totals are typically highest during June, July, and August. (1)

55,694

Construction was Nebraska’s seventh-largest industry sector by employment in 2018. (1)

#7

1 in 20The share of employed Nebraskans who worked in the construction industry in 2018. (1)

$992The average weekly wage for workers in Nebraska’s construction industry as of 2018. (1)

34,894The average number of Nebraska workers employed in the specialty trade contractors industry subsector in 2018. This was the state’s largest construction subsector by employment. (1)

16.7%The projected growth for the construction of buildings subsector between 2016 and 2026 in Nebraska. This is the fastest-growing subsector within the construction sector. (2)

7,553The number of new jobs projected for the construction industry between 2016 and 2026 in Nebraska. (2)

14.9%Total construction industry employment is projected to rise by 14.9% statewide between 2016 and 2026. (2)

$1,099The average weekly wage for workers in Nebraska’s heavy and civil engineering construction subsector, which was the highest-paying construction industry subsector statewide as of 2018. (1)

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Sandhills7.7%

Central11.7%

Panhandle7.8%

Northeast9.9%

Southeast4.1%

Grand Island

MSA17.8%

OmahaConsortium

17.0%Lincoln MSA

17.6%Mid Plains6.1%

Occupation Title 2016 Est. Employment % of Industry Total

Carpenters 7,103 14.1%

Electricians 4,200 8.3%

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades & Extraction Workers 3,613 7.2%

Cement Masons & Concrete Finishers 2,914 5.8%

Plumbers, Pipefitters, & Steamfitters 2,809 5.6%

Source: Nebraska Department of Labor. Long-term Industry Employment Projections: 2016-2026. Nebraska Statewide.

Projected Increase in Construction Industry Employment by Region, 2016-2026

49.6%The percentage of Nebraska construction workers who were ages 25-44 in 2017. In comparison, that age group accounted for 42.8% total employment across all industries statewide. (3)

Top 5 NE Construction Industry Occupations

Source: Nebraska Department of Labor. Long-term Occupation Employment Projections: 2016-2026. Nebraska Statewide.

NE 2017 Construction Industry Employment by Education Level*

*Workers age 25 and over

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Quarterly Workforce Indicators. QWI Explorer. 2017.

13.4%Women’s share of total Nebraska construction industry employment as of 2017. (3)

12

1. Nebraska Department of Labor. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. [Online] 2018. neworks.nebraska.gov.2. Nebraska Department of Labor. Long-term Industry Employment Projections: 2016-2026. Nebraska Statewide. [Online] July 2018. https://neworks.nebraska.gov/gsipub/

index.asp?docid=439.3. U.S. Census Bureau. Quarterly Workforce Indicators. QWI Explorer. [Online] 2017. https://qwiexplorer.ces.census.gov/static/explore.html.

Sources:

Image by Michael Gaida from Pixabay

Source: Nebraska Department of Labor. High Wage, High Skill, and High Demand (H3) Occupations. [Online] 2018. https://neworks.nebraska.gov/gsipub/index.asp?docid=1165.

Occupation Title Avg. Hourly Wage (2016)

Education; Work Experience (Years); Job Training

Avg. Annual Openings

(2016-2026)

Carpenters $18.40 High school diploma or equivalent; None; Apprenticeship 1,288

Electricians $23.74 High school diploma or equivalent; None; Apprenticeship 703

Plumbers, Pipefitters, & Steamfitters $26.52 High school diploma or equivalent; None; Apprenticeship 658

Structural Iron & Steel Workers $20.37 High school diploma or equivalent; None; Apprenticeship 132

Sheet Metal Workers $24.31 High school diploma or equivalent; None; Apprenticeship 96

Brickmasons & Blockmasons $25.78 High school diploma or equivalent; None; Apprenticeship 88

Glaziers $18.66 High school diploma or equivalent; None; Apprenticeship 56

High Wage, Skill, & Demand (H3 ) Construction & Extraction Occupations

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Few things are more closely associated with summertime fun than the great American road trip. According to a recent AAA survey, about four in 10 U.S. adults reported planning to take a summer vacation in 2019, with 53% packing their cars for a family road trip. (1)

Nebraska is a great state in which to take a road trip, as we enjoy generally high-quality roads and plenty of cool stuff to see. In fact, according to the Nebraska Tourism Commission’s 2018 annual report, travel was Nebraska’s third-largest industry

for that year, with travel generating $4.9 bil-lion in consumer expenditures, $732 million in tax revenues, and 49,360 jobs. (2)

Readers eager to hit the open road this summer may want to start planning their road trip by checking out the Nebraska Tourism Commission’s Nebraska Passport Program, which features sites across the state for visitors to explore and get their special passport booklets stamped. If a participant makes it to all of the program’s stops, the Nebraska Tourism Commission awards them a prize. In 2018, 48,895 pass-port booklets were requested by travelers from 46 states and 418 Nebraska com-munities. The average participant earned 31 stamps, and 749 participants visited all stops. Altogether, traveler spending asso-ciated with the 2018 Passport Program generated $5.7 million in economic activity statewide. (2)

The Passport Program is a great resource for helping travelers find great places to visit, but the state also has plenty of fun things to do that you won’t find in this year’s passport booklet. As of the third quarter of 2018, Nebraska was home to 664 establishments in the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry, according to data from the

$554 $590$470 $405

$205$354 $409

$201 $285 $277

$1,443

Avg. Weekly Wage for NE Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation Industry Workers, Q3 2018

Chart Source: Nebraska Department of Labor. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Nebraska Longitudinal Data System. 3rd Quarter 2018.

$392

$598

$402

$285 $294$245 $260

$333$296

$334$260

Avg. Weekly Wage for NE Accommodation & Food Service Industry Workers, Q3 2018

Chart Source: Nebraska Department of Labor. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Nebraska Longitudinal Data System. 3rd Quarter 2018.

Road Trip Across NebraskaKermit Spade, Research Analyst

14

Number of Vehicles Available to NE Workers Ages 16+, 2017

Chart Source: U.S. Census Bureau. 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

82.3%

9.2%

0.7% 2.3% 1.3%4.2%

Means of Transportation to Work for NE Workers Ages 16+, 2017

Chart Source: U.S. Census Bureau. 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

Nebraska Department of Labor’s Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Businesses in this sector had an average of 24 workers per establishment, who earned an average wage of $313 per week. The state’s accommodation and food services sector had 4,607 establishments, with an average of 23 employees per establishment, and an average weekly wage of $285. The charts on the previous page show the average weekly wage per employee for establishments in Nebraska’s arts, entertainment, and recreation and accommodation and food services industries. (3)

Prior to beginning a road trip across Nebraska, travelers need a vehicle, gas for that vehicle, and the free time to take the trip. While no data is available on how Nebraskans get around in their free time, the U.S. Census Bureau does col-lect data about how Nebraskans get to work, as well as how many vehicles they have in their households. According to the Census Bureau’s 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 82.3% of Nebraska workers ages 16 years and over said they drove to work alone, and more than 80% of these Nebraskans reported having access to two or more vehicles. These numbers indicate that most Nebraskans should have no problem finding a set of wheels to begin their summer road trip. (4)

Once the car is packed and ready to go, road-trippers will need to fill up their gas tanks before hitting the road. In 2018, the average price of gas in Nebraska was $2.63 per gallon. Gas prices tend to fluctuate through-out the year, with the highest prices typically occurring between May and October. The charts on the next page show Nebraska’s average price per gallon of gasoline by month in 2018. (5)

Before any road trip can begin, working Nebraskans will have to secure some time off. Luckily, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ annual National Compensation Survey (NCS), which pro-vides data about what percentage of workers have access to various benefits, about 75% of private sector employees nationwide have access to some paid vacation days each year. The longer a worker stays with an employer, the more vacation time they typically earn. So Nebraskans, especially those who have lengthy job tenures, are likely to be able to find at least a few free days to explore what the state has to offer. (6)

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Sources1. AAA. AAA: Nearly 100 Million Americans Will Embark on Family Vacations this

Year. [Online] March 21, 2019. [Cited: June 24, 2019.] https://newsroom.aaa.com/2019/03/100-million-americans-will-embark-on-family-vacations/.

2. Nebraska Tourism Commission. 2018 ANNUAL REPORT. Lincoln, NE : Nebraska Tourism Commission, 2018.

3. Nebraska Department of Labor. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. [Nebraska Longitudinal Data System] 3rd Quarter, 2018.

4. U.S. Census Bureau. 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Table B08141. U.S. Census. [Online] 5 20, 2019. https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_17_5YR_B08141&prodType=table.

5. Nebraska Energy Office. Average Monthly Retail Motor Gasoline Prices in Nebraska. neo.ne.gov. [Online] [Cited: May 20, 2019.] http://www.neo.ne.gov/statshtml/97.htm#regular_unleaded.

6. Bureau of Labor Statistics. National Compensation Survey: Employee Benefits in the United States. [Online] March 2018. [Cited: May 20, 2019.] https://www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs/benefits/.

7. Nebraska Department of Transportation. Nebraska Flood 2019. [Online] [Cited: May 20, 2019.] https://dot.nebraska.gov/news-media/nebraska-flood-2019/.

8. Nebraska Traveler System. http://511.nebraska.gov/. [Online] [Cited: May 20, 2019.] http://511.nebraska.gov/.

Share of U.S. Workers with Access to Paid Vacation Days, 2018

Chart Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. National Compensation Survey: Employee Benefits in the United States. March 2018].

Years with Employer

Avg. Number of Paid Vacation Days per Year for U.S. Workers by Number of Years with Employer, 2018

Chart Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. National Compensation Survey: Employee Benefits in the United States. March 2018.

$2.50 $2.57 $2.53 $2.60$2.78 $2.81 $2.75 $2.74 $2.76 $2.82

$2.53

$2.18

Avg. Monthly NE Retail Price per Gallon of Motor Gasoline, 2018

Chart Source: Nebraska Energy Office. Average Monthly Retail Motor Gasoline Prices in Nebraska. Regular Unleaded. June 2019.

A final consideration to keep in mind when planning a road trip across Nebraska, especially in light of the recent flooding events, would be current road conditions. To help travelers avoid delays, the Nebraska Department of Transportation maintains a flood recovery webpage dedicated to the 2019 floods’ impact on state roads, which features an interactive map highlighting problem areas where flood recovery efforts are still underway. (7) Nebraska also has a 511 traveler

information website, which provides updates about construction areas and other roadway hazards. Consulting these resources before hitting the road may help road-trippers spend less time lost or stuck on detours, leaving more time for summer fun. (8)

With most Nebraskans having access to a vehicle, relatively affordable gas, and some vacation time, this summer looks like a great time to take a road trip to explore the state. The Nebraska Passport Program and other great attractions statewide ensure that there will be no shortage of exciting places for visitors to enjoy. So get out there and see this great state of ours… just watch out for that road construction!

16

Initial Unemployment Claims

Monthly Avg. Number of Claims per Week

Avg. Weekly EarningsAll Private Employees

Not Seasonally Adjusted

$951.48United StatesCurrent 2019

$862.05NE 10-Year High(Sept. 2018)

$667.26NE 10-Year Low (May 2009)

$846.36Nebraska

Current 2019

UP +2.0%

NE Vs. Last Year

DOWN -0.7%NE Vs.

Last Month

$3.93NE 10-Year High (May 2011)

$2.86United States Current 2019

$2.75Nebraska

Current 2019

Gas Prices Avg. Retail Price per Gallon

(Regular-Grade Unleaded Gasoline)

UP -1.1%NE Vs.

Last Year

UP +1.1%NE Vs.

Last Month

An initial claim is a request for determination of UI program eligibility filed by an unemployed individual following a separation from an employer. It can serve as an indicator of emerging labor market conditions in the area.1

Average weekly earnings represents the mean pay received by workers for services performed over the course of one week.2

This figure represents the average price consumers paid at the pump for a gallon of regular-grade, unleaded gasoline during the specified timeframe. The main components affecting the retail price of gasoline are crude oil prices; costs and profits associated with refining, distribution, and market-ing; fluctuations in supply and demand; and federal, state, and local taxes.3

Economic Indicators Jodie Meyer, Research Analyst

Data Sources: [Retrieved: June 2019.]NE- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. State and Area Employment, Hours, & Earnings. Average Weekly Earnings of All Employees, In Dollars. Nebraska (Statewide): Total Private, Not Seasonally Adjusted. Series ID SMU31000000500000011. https://data.bls.gov/PDQWeb/sm.U.S.- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment, Hours, & Earnings from the Current Employment Statistics Survey (National). Average Weekly Earnings of All Employees: Total Private, Not Seasonally Adjusted. Series ID CES0500000011. https://data.bls.gov/PDQWeb/ce.

Data Sources: [Retrieved: June 2019.]NE- U.S. Employment & Training Administration. Initial Claims in Nebraska (NEICLAIMS). Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/NEICLAIMS.U.S.- U.S. Employment & Training Administration. Initial Claims (ICNSA). Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ICNSA.

Data Sources: [Retrieved: June 2019.]NE- Nebraska Energy Office. Average Monthly Retail Motor Gasoline Prices in Nebraska. Regular Unleaded.http://www.neo.ne.gov/statshtml/97.htm#regular_unleaded.U.S.- U.S. Energy Information Administration. U.S. Regular All Formulations Retail Gasoline Prices.https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/PET_PRI_GND_A_EPMR_PTE_DPGAL_M.htm.

3,273NE 10-Year High (Dec. 2009)

579NE 10-Year Low (April 2018)

3,500 $1,200

$6000

694Nebraska

Current 2019

UP +0.8%

NE Vs. Last Year

UP +15.2%

NE Vs. Last Month

1,409NE 10-Year

Avg.

$751.66NE 10-Year

Avg.

$0

$5.00

$2.87NE 10-Year

Avg.

$1.68NE 10-Year Low (Feb. 2016)

TABLE OF CONTENTS 17

JULY 2019

Data Sources: [Retrieved: June 2019.]NE- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in Midwest(CUUR0200SA0). Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUUR0200SA0#0.U.S.- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items(CPIAUCNS). Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCNS.

Labor Force Participation Rate

Seasonally Adjusted

UP +0.7%

NE Vs. Last Year

UP +0.1%

NE Vs. Last Month

The labor force is comprised of all persons age 16 and over in the civilian, noninstitu-tional population who are either employed or unemployed but available for work and actively seeking employment. It excludes people doing unpaid homemaking or volunteer work, retired people, and people who are not employed and not actively seeking work. The labor force participation rate measures the labor force as a percentage of the total civilian, noninstitutional population, age 16 and over.1

Consumer Price Index12-Month % Change

Not Seasonally Adjusted

The consumer price index (CPI) is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by consumers for goods and services. It is used to determine the real purchasing power of con-sumers’ dollars, and as a measure of inflation.6

Housing Prices4-Quarter % ChangeSeasonally Adjusted

+3.9%Midwest 10-Year High (Sept. 2011)

-0.2%Midwest 10-Year Low (Apr. 2015)

+1.8%Midwest Region

Current 2019 +1.3%United States Current 2019

+9.0%NE 10-Year High (Q1 2018)

+5.1%U.S. Current

Q2 2019

-3.3%NE 10-Year Low (Q4 2010)

+2.5%Nebraska Q2 2019

The housing price index (HPI) measures the movement of single-family house prices, based on purchases involving conventional mortgages purchased or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. “Four-quarter” change is relative to the same quarter one year earlier. HPI data are often considered useful for estimating housing affordability and projecting future changes in mortgage default rates.5

Data Sources: [Retrieved: June 2019.]NE- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Labor Force Participation Rate for Nebraska (LBSSA31). Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LBSSA3.U.S.- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Civilian Labor Force Participation Rate (CIVPART). Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CIVPART.

Data Source: [Retrieved: June 2019.]Federal Housing Finance Agency. Housing Price Index Datasets. Quarterly Data: Purchase-Only Indexes.https://www.fhfa.gov/DataTools/Downloads/Pages/House-Price-Index-Datasets.aspx#qpo

72.9%NE 10-Year High (May 2009)

69.1%NE 10-Year Low (March 2017)

62.8%United States Current 2019

69.7%Nebraska

Current 2019

All Urban Consumers: All Items Index 1982-1984 = 100

FHFA Purchase-Only Housing Price Index

50% -2.5% -10%

10%5.0%80%

70.7%NE 10-Year

Avg. +1.8%Midwest Region

10-Year Avg.3.2%

NE 10-Year Avg.

18

May 2019 County Unemployment Rates

Employment Data | May

NEBRASKA May Non-farm Total Employment: 1,039,501Manufacturing: 99,463

Nebraska (Smooth Seasonally Adjusted)May Unemployment Rate: 3.0%Change (OTM): +0.1Change (OTY): +0.2

Economic Region (Not Seasonally Adjusted)Central: 2.8%Mid Plains: 2.9%Northeast: 2.9%Panhandle: 3.3%Sandhills: 2.8%Southeast: 3.1%

OMAHA MSA (Not Seasonally Adjusted) May Unemployment Rate: 2.9%May Total Non-Farm: 514,554Manufacturing: 32,509

Largest OTM Increase (Private)Leisure and Hospitality: 2,848 (5.7%)Mining and Construction: 1,756 (5.8%)

Largest OTY Increase (Private)Professional and Business Services: 3,240 (4.5%)Mining and Construction: 3,136 (10.8%)

GRAND ISLAND (Not Seasonally Adjusted)May Unemployment Rate: 3.0%May Total Non-Farm: 42,564Change (OTM): 336 (0.8%)Change (OTY): -146 (-0.3%)

LINCOLN MSA (Not Seasonally Adjusted)May Unemployment Rate: 2.8%May Total Non-Farm: 193,225Manufacturing: 13,593

Largest OTM Increase (Private)Leisure and Hospitality: 809 (4.4%)Education and Health: 438 (1.5%)

Largest OTY Increase (Private)Education & Health: 1,461 (5.0%)Manufacturing: 224 (1.7%)

Sources:1. Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Employment

Statistics Program2. Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area

Unemployment Statistics Program

Nebraska Department of LaborLabor Market Information

PHONE 800-876-1377EMAIL lmi_ne@nebraska.gov

LINCOLN MSA (Not Seasonally Adjusted)May Unemployment Rate: 2.8%May Total Non-Farm: 193,225Manufacturing: 13,593

Largest OTM Increase (Private)Leisure and Hospitality: 809 (4.4%)Education and Health: 438 (1.5%)

Largest OTY Increase (Private)Education & Health: 1,461 (5.0%)Manufacturing: 224 (1.7%)

Quality Information… Informed Choice

Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. TDD: 1.800.833.7352Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

New Labor Availability Study ReportsValentine, O’Neill, Statewide

The Nebraska Department of Labor has released new labor availability and business hiring and training needs reports on NEworks.nebraska.gov. The reports are based on business and household surveys and are part of a joint research project involving the Departments of Labor and Economic Development and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Bureau of Business Research and Bureau of Sociological Research.

To view the reports, go to NEworks.nebraska.gov

The reports include:• Statistics on active and potential seekers • Factors important to job seekers • Barriers faced when switching jobs• Characteristics of job seekers (education, skill levels)• Characteristics of businesses (size, industry) • Hiring needs (openings, skills required, hiring difficulties)• Training offered• Skills gap information and analysis for Valentine and O’Neill• Worker supply and demand• Detailed evaluation of select occupations