Unemployment rate falls in Kansas as private sector sees job gains

The unemployment rate in Kansas is now 3.8 percent, according to a new report from the Kansas Department of Labor.

The rate is at its lowest mark since November 2000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The state has gained 4,600 private sector jobs since the same time last year.

The preliminary estimates for March released by the state Friday come on the heels of an improved economic forecast and the expectation that tax collections will increase.

The national unemployment rate is 4.5 percent.

Private sector jobs in Kansas grew by 500 from February to March, according to the report, while the seasonally adjusted total for non-farm jobs in the state grew by 1,400.

This story was originally published April 21, 2017 at 11:42 AM with the headline "Unemployment rate falls in Kansas as private sector sees job gains."