TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

DEC 2015

Fast Facts - EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS Map Facts - AMERICA INVENTS: UTILITY PATENTS BY STATEFeature - VOLUNTEERING IN THE UNITED STATES

2

Table of Contents

OCT UNEMPLOYMENT DATA

FAST FACTS

MAP FACTS

OPENINGS & EXPANSIONS

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

VOLUNTEERING IN

THE UNITED STATES

3

4

6

8

10

13

Helpful Links

Unemployment in Brief

Monthly Unemployment Rate

Previous Issues

NEworks

CREDITS

Nebraska Workforce Trends is published by the Nebraska Department of Labor - Labor Market Information Center 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 assur-ances 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 avail-ability, 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.

Commissioner of LaborJohn H. Albin

LMI Administrator Phil Baker

Editor Scott Hunzeker

Editor Grace Johnson

EditorJennifer Gildersleeve

Graphic DesignerBrittney Lippincott

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

OCTOBER UNEMPLOYMENT DATAByron Lefler, Research Analyst

LINCOLN MSA (not seasonally adjusted) October Unemployment Rate: 2.3% October Total Non-farm: 191,872Manufacturing: 14,282Largest OTM Increases:Trade, Transportation, & Utilities: 439 (1.3%)Leisure & Hospitality: 363 (1.9%)

OMAHA MSA (not seasonally adjusted) October Unemployment Rate: 2.9%October Total Non-farm: 497,691Manufacturing: 31,840Largest OTM Increases: Trade, Transportation, & Utilities: 1,735 (1.8%)Education & Health Services: 1,292 (1.6%)

GRAND ISLAND MSA (not seasonally adjusted) October Unemployment Rate: 2.9%October Total Non-farm: 42,201Change (OTM): -739 (-1.7%)Change (OTY): -1,058 (-2.5%)

NEBRASKA (not seasonally adjusted)October Total Non-farm: 1,017,301 Manufacturing: 94,807Nebraska (smoothed seasonally adjusted)October Unemployment Rate: 2.9%Change (OTM): Unchanged at 2.9%Change (OTY): -0.2% Economic Regions (not seasonally adjusted)Central: 2.3% Mid Plains: 2.5% Northeast: 2.8% Panhandle: 2.7% Sandhills: 2.4% Southeast: 2.7%

Sources: 1. Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Employment Statistics Program (CES)2. Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS)

OCTOBER UNEMPLOYMENT RATES BY COUNTY*

Cherry2.3 Holt

2.1

Custer2.0

Sioux2.6

Lincoln2.5

Sheridan2.7

Morrill2.5 Garden

2.5

Knox2.6

Keith2.4

Dawes2.2

Rock2.4

Brown3.5

Gage3.1

Hall2.9

Dundy2.0

Chase1.9

Buffalo2.1

Grant2.4

Clay2.6

Kimball2.7

York2.4

Frontier2.3

Otoe2.7

Dawson2.8

Cedar2.4

Platte3.1

Arthur5.4

Burt3.2

Perkins1.9

Cheyenne2.3

Hayes2.7

Blaine4.9

Loup3.1

Box Butte2.7

Cass2.8

Boone2.5Banner

3.0

Polk2.1

Butler2.5

Furnas2.3

Hooker2.8

Antelope2.2

Saline2.5

Valley2.6

Pierce2.2

Logan2.4

Thomas2.3

Lancaster2.3

Dixon2.9

Harlan2.1

Adams2.5

Thayer2.2

Dodge2.9

Phelps2.1

Saunders2.6

McPherson1.9

Deuel2.2

Howard2.7

Cuming2.3

Seward2.3

Greeley2.5

Fillmore2.6

Hitchcock3.0

Garfield1.8

Franklin2.1

Keya Paha1.9

Webster2.8

Nance2.2

Madison2.3

Wheeler1.9

Nuckolls2.2

Colfax2.4

Gosper2.1

Scotts Bluff3.0

Jefferson2.4

Wayne2.3

Sherman2.6

Red Willow2.4

Kearney2.0

Hamilton2.2

Pawnee2.3

Richardson2.9

Johnson2.7

Douglas2.9

Boyd2.2

Merrick3.2

Stanton2.2

Nemaha3.0

Thurston5.2

Sarpy2.6

Dakota3.9

Washington2.6

County Rates1.8 - 2.2

2.3 - 2.5

2.6 - 2.9

3.0 - 3.9

4.0 - 5.4

*Not seasonally adjusted

4

FAST FACTS: EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS Jodie Meyer, Research Analyst

Winter is almost officially here and it marks a good time to start thinking about how prepared one is for an emergency. The following data examines how prepared residents of the Midwest region, highlighted in the map below, are prepared for an emergency compared to those throughout the nation. This data comes from the 2013 American Housing Survey, a joint project of United States Census Bureau and United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

84.8%

27.9%

77.2%72.6%

71.6%

90.4% 88.6%

69.8%

71.6%

2.9% 4.1%

69.6%

46.2%51.5%

32.9%

82.0%

49.1%54.3%

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

84.8%

27.9%

77.2%72.6%

71.6%

90.4% 88.6%

69.8%

71.6%

2.9% 4.1%

69.6%

46.2%51.5%

32.9%

82.0%

49.1%54.3%

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

84.8%

27.9%

77.2%72.6%

71.6%

90.4% 88.6%

69.8%

71.6%

2.9% 4.1%

69.6%

46.2%51.5%

32.9%

82.0%

49.1%54.3%

THREE DAY SUPPLY OF NON-PERISHABLE FOOD

EMERGENCY WATER SUPPLY (PER PERSON)

COMMUNICATION PLAN IN PLACE

(HAVING A CONTINGENCY PLAN IN CASE CELL PHONE SERVICE IS DISRUPTED)

OR

UNITED STATESMIDWEST

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5

SOURCE:1. United States Census Bureau and United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2013 American

Housing Survey; Table S-06-AO Emergency and Disaster Preparedness-All Occupied Units; http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/data/2013/national-summary-report-and-tables---ahs-2013.html

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

84.8%

27.9%

77.2%72.6%

71.6%

90.4% 88.6%

69.8%

71.6%

2.9% 4.1%

69.6%

46.2%51.5%

32.9%

82.0%

49.1%54.3%

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

84.8%

27.9%

77.2%72.6%

71.6%

90.4% 88.6%

69.8%

71.6%

2.9% 4.1%

69.6%

46.2%51.5%

32.9%

82.0%

49.1%54.3%

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

84.8%

27.9%

77.2%72.6%

71.6%

90.4% 88.6%

69.8%

71.6%

2.9% 4.1%

69.6%

46.2%51.5%

32.9%

82.0%

49.1%54.3%

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

84.8%

27.9%

77.2%72.6%

71.6%

90.4% 88.6%

69.8%

71.6%

2.9% 4.1%

69.6%

46.2%51.5%

32.9%

82.0%

49.1%54.3%

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

84.8%

27.9%

77.2%72.6%

71.6%

90.4% 88.6%

69.8%

71.6%

2.9% 4.1%

69.6%

46.2%51.5%

32.9%

82.0%

49.1%54.3%

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

84.8%

27.9%

77.2%72.6%

71.6%

90.4% 88.6%

69.8%

71.6%

2.9% 4.1%

69.6%

46.2%51.5%

32.9%

82.0%

49.1%54.3%

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST

1.5%

EMERGENCY EVACUATION FUNDS

An emergency evacuation is defined as having to evacuate your home to a safe place at least 50 miles away.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION

PREPARED EVACUATION KIT

FRIENDS/RELATIVES TO STAY WITH DURING A TWO-WEEK EVACUATION

RELIABLE EVACUATION VEHICLE DID NOT NEED ASSISTANCE EVACUATING OR SHELTERING PETS

LIKELIHOOD OF USING A PUBLIC SHELTER DURING A TWO-WEEK EVACUATION

LIKELIHOOD OF USING A TRAVEL TRAILER OR RECREATIONAL VEHICLE DURING A TWO-WEEK EVACUATION

$2,000 OR MORE

UNITED STATESMIDWEST

6

MAP FACTS: AMERICA INVENTS - UTILITY PATENTS BY STATEJennifer Gildersleeve, Research Analyst

The creation of new products and processes, and a system to protect these inventions, is vital to a strong, dynamic economy. Patents are used to safeguard new inventions and designs and help businesses, as well as individual inventors, protect their intellectual property. Patents granted may be an indicator of innovation and technological progress throughout an area. This month’s Map Facts will focus on utility patents granted throughout the United States in 2014.

The US Patent and Trademark Office describes utility patents as “issued for the invention of a new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or a new and useful improvement thereof.”1

Unlike a design patent, which is issued for the appearance of something that is manufactured, a utility patent protects the way an object is used and works, and is typically known as an invention patent.

UTILITY PATENTS BY STATE, 2014

»

Texas10022

California40661

Utah1374

Montana115

Arizona2517

Idaho1012

Nevada834

Oregon2391

Colorado3184

Iowa1000

Kansas960

Wyoming122

New Mexico423

Illinois5106

Ohio3755

Missouri1257

Minnesota4626

Nebraska364

Georgia2669

Oklahoma572

Washington6448

Alabama500

Maine212

South Dakota115

Arkansas204

Virginia2078

Wisconsin2107

North Dakota104

New York8904

Indiana2049

Michigan5306

Kentucky646

Tennessee1060

Pennsylvania4091

North Carolina3411

Florida4210

Louisiana434

Mississippi153

South Carolina907

West Virginia134

Vermont5

Rhode Island363

78

Maryland1851

New Jersey5036

New Hampshire889

Massachusetts6725

Connecticut2309

Delaware442

Granted Utility Patents, 201449 - 646

647 - 1374

1375 - 3755

3756 - 6725

6726 - 10022

10023 - 40661

Alaska49

Hawaii136

Granted Utility Patents, 201449 - 646

647 - 1374

1375 - 3755

3756 - 6725

6726 - 10022

10023 - 40661

Alaska49

Hawaii136

Granted Utility Patents, 201449 - 646

647 - 1374

1375 - 3755

3756 - 6725

6726 - 10022

10023 - 40661

Alaska49

Hawaii136

TABLE OF CONTENTS 7

Approximately 90 percent of all patent documents issued in the last several years by the US PTO have been utility patents.1

A map displaying the number of utility patents granted in 2014 is presented on the previous page. Patent origin is determined by the residence of the first-named inventor listed on the patent grant, even if the individual is working for a company headquartered out of the state.

According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, there were 300,678 utility patents, 23,657 design, 1072 plant, 626 reissue patents and six statutory invention registrations, for a total of 326,039 patent documents granted in 2014, an increase of 7.6 percent from 2013.2 The number of utility patents granted varied widely by state. The states from which the most utility patents originated in 2014 were California (40,661), Texas (10,022) and New York (8,904).

The states with the fewest patents granted were Alaska (49) and North Dakota (104). Nebraska ranked 39th in the number of patents granted for the year.3

There were 364 utility patents granted in Nebraska in 2014, as defined by the residence of the first-named inventor. This represents a 20 percent increase in patents granted to Nebraska residents over 2013.3 More utility patents were granted to individuals (62) or had unassigned ownership at the time of approval, than any specific organization or company in Nebraska in 2014.4, 5 Most utility patents granted in Nebraska in 2012 (the most recent detailed data available) were related to manufacturing machinery; computer and peripheral equipment; fabricated metal products; navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments; and plastics and rubber products.6

SOURCES:1. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Electronic Information Products Division, Patent Technology Monitoring Team.

Types of Patents. October 3, 2013. http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/patdesc.htm

2. —. Patenting Trends, 2014. February 9, 2015. http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/pat_tr14.htm

3. —. Patent Counts by Country, State, and Year-Utility Patents. Table A1-1a. Updated December 2014. http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/cst_utl.htm

4. —. Patenting by Geographic Region (State and Country), Breakout by Organization. http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/stcasg/ne_stcorg.htm

5. —. Patenting by Geographic Region, Breakout by Organization, Explanation of Data. http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/stcasg/explan_stcorg.htm

6. —. Patenting by Geographic Region Breakout by NAICS Industry Classification (Whole Counts), 2008-2012. http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/naics/stc_naics_wg5/ne_stc_naics_wg.htm

8

Kermit SpadeResearch Analyst

OMAHA AREA OPENINGS

8

OTHER

OTHER

OTHEROTHER

OCTOBER

TYPE OF BUSINESS NAME, JOBS ADDED

TOTAL OMAHA JOBS ADDED*

FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT

RETAIL/SALES

TECHNOLOGY

HEALTH & EDUCATION

Burrito Envy

Ika

Local Ice Creamery “L.I.C”

Paulie’s Bar

St. Bernard Lounge - Millard 10

Wicked Rabbit 5

Big Bear Bicycle - Fremont 2

Boutique Mesh - Beverly Hills Plaza

6

Muscle Max

Viva Fashion 9

Do Space 10

Forest Lawn Funeral Home - 7909 Mormon Bridge Rd

5

Richmont Terrace - Bellevue

47

15

17

10

5

* Number of jobs is an estimate as the total number of jobs added was not available for all openings listed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 9

OTHER

OTHER

OTHER

OTHER

TYPE OF BUSINESS NAME

FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT

RETAIL/SALES

HEALTH & EDUCATION

Best Western Plus

Chick-Fil-A

Batteries Plus Bulbs

Blown

Back In-Line

Good Life Fitness

Holistic Harmony MedSpa

Home Instead Senior Care

Well Being Initiative

Big Red Tire Pros

Red Thread

Signs of Vinyl

Zelle HR Solutions

SOURCES:Fremont Chamber of Commerce Fremont Tribune KHUB Radio Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Metropolitan Community College

NDOL Staff Omaha World Herald Strictly Business Western Douglas County Chamber WOWTV

OMAHA EXPANSIONS

LINCOLN OPENINGS & EXPANSIONS

KHUB Radio Station - Fremont

Jazzercise - Fremont

Moostash Joe’s Travel - Fremont

She.la Boutique

Beyond the Vine

Yahoo

New Location

STATEWIDE OPENINGS & EXPANSIONS

PANHANDLE

GERINGPro Choice Automotive

SCOTTSBLUFFThe Shed - Restaurant

CENTRAL

GRAND ISLAND/HASTINGSRaising Canes - New Restaurant

MID-PLAINS

NORTH PLATTEMr. ApplianceTender Hearts Vet CenterCommunity 1st Bank

NORTHEAST

NORFOLKBlissful Images - Owner & 5 Part-time employees

PENDERUptown Pix - 7 Part-time employees

SOUTHEAST

TECUMSEHTecumseh Farms - Expansion

YORKDerksen Buildings

Jams

Brookstone Meadows

All Metals Market - Fremont

10

ECONOMIC INDICATORS WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE SPOT PRICEKermit Spade, Research Analyst

In each new issue of Trends, the economic indicators section will feature a chart or graph focused on one of the economic indicators listed above. This month, we’ll be focusing on the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Spot Price.

The spot price for a barrel of crude oil is the price paid “for immediate delivery”1 at a specific location at current market prices. The spot price for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil is measured in the domestic spot market at Cushing, Oklahoma. The WTI spot price from Cushing is used “as a reference for pricing other types of crude”1 oil, and thus serves as a good indicator of overall crude oil prices in the U.S. The WTI spot price peaked in June, 2008, at $133.88 per barrel.2

To learn more, visit: https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/MCOILWTICO/

WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE SPOT PRICE

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West Texas Intermediate Spot Price

Recessions Spot PriceSources: US. Energy Information Administration, Crude Oil Prices: West Texas Intermediate (WTI) - Cushing, Oklahoma [MCOILWTICO], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/MCOILWTICO/, November 17, 2015.

US Business Cycle Expansions and Contractions, Public Information Office, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc., 1050 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138, USA. 617-868-3900

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West Texas Intermediate Spot Price

Recessions Spot PriceSources: US. Energy Information Administration, Crude Oil Prices: West Texas Intermediate (WTI) - Cushing, Oklahoma [MCOILWTICO], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/MCOILWTICO/, November 17, 2015.

US Business Cycle Expansions and Contractions, Public Information Office, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc., 1050 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138, USA. 617-868-3900 TEXT SOURCES:

1. U.S. Energy Information Administration. Petroleum & Other Liquids. eia.gov. [Online] 11 18, 2015. [Cited: 11 18, 2015.] http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/TblDefs/pet_pri_spt_tbldef2.asp.

2. US. Energy Information Administration, Crude Oil Prices: West Texas Intermediate (WTI) - Cushing, Oklahoma [MCOILWTICO], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/MCOILWTICO/, November 17, 2015.

Graph Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

TABLE OF CONTENTS 11

Change Over Last Quarter/Month

METRIC CURRENT TIME PERIOD

UNITED STATES

MIDWEST REGION

NEBRASKA

Average Weekly Manufacturing Hours October, 2015 +0.1 - +2.1

Initial Unemployment Claims October, 2015 -3.3% - +17.0%

Value of Manufacturers' New Orders for Con-sumer Goods

September, 2015 -0.6% - -

ISM Manufacturing: New Orders Index© October, 2015 +5.6% - -

Value of Manufacturers' New Orders: Nondefense Capital Goods Excluding Aircraft

September, 2015 -0.1% - -

S&P 500© October, 2015 -4.1% - -

Leading Economic Index September, 2015 +1.3% - +0.3%

10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Minus Fed-eral Funds Rate

October, 2015 +2.0% - -

University of Michigan, Consumer Sentiment Index

October, 2015 +3.2% - -

Consumer Price Index, not seasonally adjusted October, 2015 0.0% -0.1% -

Employment Cost Index 3rd Quarter, 2015 +0.6% - -

Producer Price Index: All Commodities October, 2015 -0.7% - -

Unemployment Rate, seasonally adjusted October, 2015 -0.1% -0.1%* 0.0%

Real GDP, billions of chained 2009 dollars 3rd Quarter, 2015 +1.5% - -

Net Taxable Sales August, 2015 -1.6% - -

Barrel of Crude Oil, WTI-Cushing, Spot Price September, 2015 +$0.74 - -

Current Account Balance (millions of dollars) 2nd Quarter, 2015 $8,619

SOURCES:1. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Customized Tables; State and Area Employment,

Hours and Earnings. Bureau of Labor Statistics. [Online] http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/dsrv?sm.

2. US. Employment and Training Administration. 4-Week Moving Average of Initial Claims. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/IC4WSA.

3. —. Initial Claims in Nebraska. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/NEICLAIMS.

4. US. Bureau of the Census. Value of Manufacturers’ New Orders for Consumer Goods Industries. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/ACOGNO.

5. Institute for Supply Management. ISM Manufacturing: New Orders Index©. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/NAPMNOI.

6. US. Bureau of the Census. Manufacturers’ New Orders: Nondefense Capital Goods Excluding Aircraft. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/NEWORDER.

7. S&P Dow Jones Indicies LLC. S&P 500©. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/SP500.

8. Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Leading Index for the United States. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/USSLIND.

9. —. Leading Index for Nebraska. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/NESLIND.

10. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Minus Federal Funds Rate. [Online] https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/T10YFF.

11. Survey Research Center, University of Michigan. Survey of Consumers. University of Michigan. [Online] http://www.press.sca.isr.umich.edu/press/press_release.

12. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/CPIAUCNS.

13. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All items in Midwest urban. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/CUUR0200SA0.

14. —. Employment Cost Index. Customized Tables. [Online] http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/dsrv?ci.

15. —. Producer Price Index for All Commodities. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/PPIACO.

16. Civilian Unemployment Rate. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/UNRATE.

17. Unemployment Rate in Midwest Census Region. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/CMWRUR.

18. Unemployment Rate in Nebraska. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/NEUR.

19. U.S. Department of Commerce: Bureau of Economic Analysis. Real Gross Domestic Product. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/GDPC1.

20. Nebraska Department of Revenue. Non-Motor Vehicle Sales Tax Collections. Nebraska Department of Revenue. [Online] http://www.revenue.nebraska.gov/research/net_taxable_sales/sales_14/2014_non-mv.html.

21. U.S. Energy Information Administration. Crude Oil Prices: West Texas Intermediate (WTI) - Cushing, Oklahoma. Federal Reserve Economic Data. [Online] http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/MCOILWTICO.

22. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Balance of Payments on the Current Account. http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/IEABC

12

Persons ages 35-44 were the most likely to volunteer among all age groups at a rate of 29.8 percent. The lowest rate was found for 20-24 year olds with a rate of 18.7 percent. After age 45 the volunteer rate tapered off as age increased. Teenagers (16-19) had a volun-teer rate of 26.1 percent.

Married persons had a volunteer rate of 30.0 percent, which was higher than the rate for people who had never been married (20.2 percent) and those with other marital statuses (21.1 percent). Parents with children under 18 had a higher rate of volunteering (31.6 per-cent) than those without children (23.0 per-cent).

The holiday season is a time when people often volunteer. The Bureau of Labor Sta-tistics (BLS) produces data on volunteering through a supplement to the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS).1 The CPS is con-ducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the BLS and collects information on employment and unemployment among the nation’s civilian non-institutional population ages 16 and over.

The September version of the survey contains the supplemental questionnaire used to obtain information on the incidence of volunteering and the characteristics of volunteers in the United States. Respondents are asked if they did any volunteer work in the past year. This supplement is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Data on volunteering has been collected on the Sep-tember survey since 2002.

In 2014, the volunteer rate was 25.3 percent. About 62.8 million people volunteered at least once during the year. Volunteers are defined as persons who did unpaid work through or for an organization.

Women volunteered at a higher rate than men regardless of age, education level, and all other major demographic characteris-tics. The volunteer rate for women was 28.3 percent in 2014 and 22.0 percent for men. The highest volunteer rate was reported for women with a bachelor’s degree or higher at 42.9 percent. The greatest difference in volunteering between genders occurred for unemployed persons where 29.8 percent of females reported volunteering compared to 18.5 percent of males, an 11.3 percentage point difference.

VOLUNTEERING IN THE UNITED STATESJodie Meyer, Research Analyst

VOLUNTEER RATE BY AGE, 2014

»

VOLUNTEER RATE BY MARITAL STATUS, 2014

»

65+

55 - 64

45 - 54

35 - 44

25 - 34

20 - 24

16 - 19

HISPANIC/LATINO

ASIAN

BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN

WHITE

BACHELOR'S DEGREE & HIGHER

SOME COLLEGE/ASSOCIATE DEGREE

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE

< HIGH SCHOOL

OTHER MARITAL STATUS

MARRIED, SPOUSE PRESENT

SINGLE, NEVER MARRIED

WITH CHILDREN

WITHOUT CHILDREN

NOT IN LABOR FORCE

UNEMPLOYED

EMPLOYED PART TIME

EMPLOYED FULL TIME26.1%

18.7%

22%

29.8%

28.5%

25.9%

23.6%

26.7% 8.8%

26.5%

31.7%

24%

21.8%

16.4%

27.3%

39.4%

19.7%

18.2%

15.5%

20.2%

30%

21.1%

23%

31.6%

65+

55 - 64

45 - 54

35 - 44

25 - 34

20 - 24

16 - 19

HISPANIC/LATINO

ASIAN

BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN

WHITE

BACHELOR'S DEGREE & HIGHER

SOME COLLEGE/ASSOCIATE DEGREE

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE

< HIGH SCHOOL

OTHER MARITAL STATUS

MARRIED, SPOUSE PRESENT

SINGLE, NEVER MARRIED

WITH CHILDREN

WITHOUT CHILDREN

NOT IN LABOR FORCE

UNEMPLOYED

EMPLOYED PART TIME

EMPLOYED FULL TIME26.1%

18.7%

22%

29.8%

28.5%

25.9%

23.6%

26.7% 8.8%

26.5%

31.7%

24%

21.8%

16.4%

27.3%

39.4%

19.7%

18.2%

15.5%

20.2%

30%

21.1%

23%

31.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

TABLE OF CONTENTS 13

VOLUNTEER RATE BY PARENTS WITH CHILDREN UNDER AGE 18, 2014

»

VOLUNTEER RATE BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, 2014

»

Educational attainment appeared to have a large impact on volunteer rates compared to other demographic factors. Individuals with higher levels of education took part in volun-teer activities at higher rates than those with less education. Among persons age 25 and over, 39.4 percent of individuals with a bach-elor’s degree or higher reported volunteering. This was 30.6 percentage points higher than the rate of 8.8 percent reported for individu-als with less than a high school diploma. High school graduates had a rate of 16.4 percent and those with some college or an associate degree had a rate of 27.3 percent. Employed persons were more likely to volunteer in com-parison to those who are unemployed at 27.5 percent and 24.0 percent respectively. People not in the labor force reported a volunteer rate of 21.8 percent. Of employed persons, part-time workers reported a higher rate of volunteerism at 31.7 percent compared to 26.5 percent for full time workers.

Volunteers spent a median of 50 hours vol-unteering in 2014. Men and women spent about the same amount of time volunteering, with men volunteering slightly more hours with a median of 52 hours compared to 50 for women. Median hours varied some within the different demographic categories, but the most variation was within the age category. People age 25 to 34 years old volunteered the least amount of hours at 32 compared to 96 hours worked by volunteers age 65 and over. Most volunteers focused their time on either one (71.4 percent) or two (18.6 percent) orga-nizations. Individuals with higher educational attainment were more likely to volunteer for multiple organizations than those with less education.

Religious organizations were indicated most frequently as the main organization in which volunteer work was performed and were reported by 33.3 percent of volunteers. Edu-cation or youth service-related organizations also had a large share of volunteers, with 25.1 percent reporting that they volunteered for one of these organizations.

Volunteers with children under the age of 18 were more likely to volunteer with an edu-cational or youth service organization, with 46.0 percent of mothers and 38.6 percent of fathers reporting this as the main type of organization for their volunteer work. Vol-unteers without children were more likely to volunteer for social or community service organizations, hospitals or other health orga-nizations, and religious organizations.

Volunteers reported collecting, preparing, distributing, or serving food as their main vol-unteer activity performed for their main orga-nization, at a rate of 10.8 percent. Fundraising was a close second reported by 10.3 per-cent of volunteers. Men and women tended to engage in different main activities with females more likely to collect, prepare, distrib-ute, or serve food (12.1 percent), fundraise (11.6 percent), or tutor or teach (11.1 percent). Men were more likely to engage in general labor (11.5 percent) or coach, referee, or supervise sports teams (9.4 percent).

65+

55 - 64

45 - 54

35 - 44

25 - 34

20 - 24

16 - 19

HISPANIC/LATINO

ASIAN

BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN

WHITE

BACHELOR'S DEGREE & HIGHER

SOME COLLEGE/ASSOCIATE DEGREE

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE

< HIGH SCHOOL

OTHER MARITAL STATUS

MARRIED, SPOUSE PRESENT

SINGLE, NEVER MARRIED

WITH CHILDREN

WITHOUT CHILDREN

NOT IN LABOR FORCE

UNEMPLOYED

EMPLOYED PART TIME

EMPLOYED FULL TIME26.1%

18.7%

22%

29.8%

28.5%

25.9%

23.6%

26.7% 8.8%

26.5%

31.7%

24%

21.8%

16.4%

27.3%

39.4%

19.7%

18.2%

15.5%

20.2%

30%

21.1%

23%

31.6%

65+

55 - 64

45 - 54

35 - 44

25 - 34

20 - 24

16 - 19

HISPANIC/LATINO

ASIAN

BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN

WHITE

BACHELOR'S DEGREE & HIGHER

SOME COLLEGE/ASSOCIATE DEGREE

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE

< HIGH SCHOOL

OTHER MARITAL STATUS

MARRIED, SPOUSE PRESENT

SINGLE, NEVER MARRIED

WITH CHILDREN

WITHOUT CHILDREN

NOT IN LABOR FORCE

UNEMPLOYED

EMPLOYED PART TIME

EMPLOYED FULL TIME26.1%

18.7%

22%

29.8%

28.5%

25.9%

23.6%

26.7% 8.8%

26.5%

31.7%

24%

21.8%

16.4%

27.3%

39.4%

19.7%

18.2%

15.5%

20.2%

30%

21.1%

23%

31.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

14

Main volunteer activities also varied by educa-tional attainment, where persons with a bach-elor’s degree or higher were more likely to provide management assistance or to tutor or teach. Volunteers were more likely to collect, prepare, distribute, or serve food if they had less than a high school diploma.

The BLS does not provide data from the CPS on volunteering by state but the Corporation for National and Community Service, a fed-eral agency focusing on community service and volunteering, compiles and releases this data at this geographic level.2 However, data by state is only currently available for 2013, whereas the most current national data is for 2014. According to this agency, Nebraska ranks sixth in the nation on percentage of residents who volunteer, with 34.8 percent of residents. Nebraska residents volunteered a collective 58.5 million hours of service in 2013, calculating out to 37.4 hours per capita.2

Information on where to volunteer in Nebraska can be found online at the Serve Nebraska website, http://www.serve.nebraska.gov.

SOURCES:1. United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor

Statistics. Volunteering in the United States – 2014. [Online] February 25, 2015. [Cited: November 3, 2015.] http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/volun.pdf.

2. Corporation for National & Community Service. Volunteering and Civic Engagement in Nebraska. [Online] [Cited: November 23, 2015.] http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/NE.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 15

Nebraska Department of LaborOffice of Labor Market Information550 S 16th StreetLincoln NE 68508

Telephone 800.876.1377Email ndol.lmi_ne@nebraska.gov

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