Featured post

Idaho’s April unemployment rate remains at 2.6%

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 19, 2023
Media Contact: Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov or John.Panter@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.6% in April, unchanged from March.

April’s labor force – workers who are employed or unemployed but looking for work – increased by 744 people (0.1%) to 960,758.

Idaho’s labor force participation decreased by 0.1 percentage point between March and April, dropping to 62.5%.

Total employment increased by 917 (0.1%) to 936,253 as unemployment decreased by 173 (-0.7%) to 24,505.

Idaho’s nonfarm jobs increased by 500 (0.1%) to 847,300 in April. Industry sectors with the greatest over-the-month gains include information (4.2%); natural resources (2.3%); arts, entertainment and recreation (1.4%); transportation, warehousing and utilities (0.9%); construction (0.7%); and state government (0.6%).

Continue reading →

Serve Idaho announces $375,000 in funding for AmeriCorps planning grants

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 30, 2023
Media Contact: Renee.Bade@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho nonprofit, educational, community and faith-based organizations, Indian tribes and local governments are eligible to apply for federal funding through Serve Idaho, the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism.

Up to five organizations will receive funding up to $75,000 each for planning grants to explore the feasibility of operating an AmeriCorps program. These funds allow time and financial resources for organizations to determine how an AmeriCorps program and its members could help solve community problems.

Continue reading →

Businesses: Learn how to pay employees and stay in compliance, May 31

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 25, 2023
Media Contact: Kandi.Rudd@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho businesses are invited to learn about the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour services Wednesday, May 31 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. (MDT) during an online seminar via Zoom.

Employees are also welcome to attend.

The seminar, featuring Wage and Hour supervisor Artie Holmes, will cover wage and hour jurisdiction, the wage claim process, wage deductions and reductions, wage payment upon separation, paid time off, vacation and sick time, and documentation. Continue reading →

The present and future of broadband in Idaho

High-speed internet, or broadband internet, once seen as a luxury service, is now understood to be a critical utility that brings equitable economic opportunity to many.

Broadband not only brings social connectivity, but can raise property values, increase job opportunities, boost education access and expand health outcomes through telehealth. [1] However, the difference in access between urban and rural America continues and was especially apparent once the pandemic set in.

This gap, known as the “digital divide,” is a gap rural America is all too familiar with. From 2017-2021, rural households in Idaho have seen smaller percentage increases in internet subscriptions (1.3% fewer) and computing devices (0.5% fewer) than urban households. With the pandemic highlighting this issue to a broader audience, lawmakers are working on closing this gap, increasing economic opportunities for rural households.

Continue reading →

30 employers available in Pocatello at hiring event

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 10, 2023
Media Contact: Clinton.Renn@labor.idaho.gov

Nearly 30 Idaho businesses will be available in Pocatello on Wednesday, May 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. to meet with potential job applicants.

The hiring event is taking place at the Idaho Department of Labor’s Pocatello office, 430 N. 5th Ave.

Continue reading →

Monthly Post Falls Hiring Event to bring over 100 jobs

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 9, 2023
Media Contact: Keeler.Crawford@labor.idaho.gov

A group of Idaho businesses with more than 100 jobs to fill will be available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 16 at Labor’s Post Falls Hiring Event. The event takes place at the Idaho Department of Labor office, located at 600 N. Thornton St.

Employers planning to attend include Amazon, Heritage Health, the State of Idaho, Renaissance at Coeur d’Alene, Sage Truck Driving School, Fred Meyer, Shabby Fabrics, LaCrosse Health and Rehab, Riverbend Zip’s Drive-In, Home Helpers and more.

Continue reading →

Summer job opportunities available for teens May 13

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 8, 2023
Media Contact: Janalee.Henderson@labor.idaho.gov

Teens and young adults (ages 16 and older) are invited to connect with employers about summer job opportunities Saturday, May 13.

Boise and Meridian employers will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Galaxy Event Center at Wahooz Family Fun Zone, 1385 S. Blue Marlin Lane, to interview teens for job openings.

Continue reading →

May 9 labor market webinar focuses on broadband in Idaho

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 2, 2023
Media Contact: Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov

Broadband’s impact on Idaho’s labor market – including how many Idahoans work in the industry, how much they are paid, the number of Idaho companies that install broadband, and the impact of broadband jobs on Idaho’s economy – will be the focus of a May 9 webinar hosted by the Idaho Department of Labor.

Continue reading →

Small state plays significant role in mineral mining: The geo-economic impact of Idaho’s critical metals and rare earths mining

The mining of rare earth and critical mineral deposits within the state’s economy is part of an ongoing research series by the Idaho Department of Labor on how Idaho is affected by the geo-economic and geo-political interrelationships. The Idaho Geological Survey, labor market analysis, as well as environmental and economic impact scenarios of the state’s mining sector will also be examined.

Part 1

High atop Idaho’s picturesque Salmon-Challis national forest sits the Cobalt Belt of Idaho, an important mining district for some of the world’s critical minerals and rare earth elements. This special grouping of locally mined esoteric minerals has noteworthy economic, geologic, political, technical and environmental dimensions of availability [1].

View the author’s webinar presentation about the importance of rare earth elements on Idaho’s labor market on Idaho Labor’s YouTube page.

“Critical minerals” is an early 20th-century military-industrial term still in use and revamped for the 21st-century green economy [2]. Critical minerals mining in Idaho’s Cobalt Belt and other parts of the state is seeing a resurgence as the nation moves toward energy self-sufficiency with select natural resources. Some of the raw materials like cobalt and antimony are needed to store energy in electric vehicle batteries, among many other technological applications, and they are found exclusively in Idaho mines and nowhere else in the United States. Continue reading →

Around Idaho: Economic Activity, April 2023

Information provided in these news updates is from professional sources, news releases, weekly and daily newspapers, television and other media.

Northern Idaho
North Central Idaho
Southwestern Idaho
South Central Idaho
Southeastern
Eastern Idaho

NORTHERN IDAHO – Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai & Shoshone counties

Region

  • Labor demand in northern Idaho remains robust, with elevated levels of unfilled jobs. There were 2,674 job postings in northern Idaho in April 2023, according to data from the Conference Board — 2,342 in Kootenai County. The most in-demand occupation was registered nurses, followed by a variety of high-turnover and common service sector positions.

Table: North Idaho top 10 job postings, April 2023

Kootenai County

  • Post Falls-based Prairie Falls Golf Club began construction on a new 43,000-square-foot facility that will be the new home of the club’s pro shop, a hotel, event center, retail and restaurant facilities. The new facility is scheduled to open in July, and the golf club will be hiring 40 additional employees. Source: Journal of Business
  • Beacon Cancer Care is expanding its services with the addition of a new rheumatology practice in its Coeur d’Alene Chinook Medical Campus. Source: Journal of Business
  • A new urban development is being built in Post Falls. The 32-acre Millworx development will feature 685 residential units in addition to over 100,000 square feet of commercial space. The project has expanded significantly after it was originally envisioned as a 120-unit development in 2022. The development will also include a Hyatt Place Hotel and a variety of retail and restaurant establishments. Source: Journal of Business

Construction of a new 18-story high rise condominium in downtown Coeur d’Alene is underway. Named the Thomas George Building, the building will be home to 60 luxury condominiums and offer views of Lake Coeur d’Alene. Source: Journal of Business

  • The Idaho Transportation Department has begun its first full season of construction on the planned four-year revision of the critical interchange between Interstate 90 and State Route 41. After preparatory work began in August of last year, the crews in the 2023 season will focus on building three new bridges for westbound I-90. The project is scheduled to be completed by summer Source: Journal of Business

Openings:

  • Beau Monde Luxe, Hayden
  • Fire Artisan Pizza, Coeur d’Alene
  • Konala Hawaiian Restaurant, Post Falls
  • North Idaho Medical Massage, Coeur d’Alene
  • Parallel 47 Restaurant, Coeur d’Alene
  • Pinnacle Estate Planning, Coeur d’Alene
  • Post Falls Pavilion Food Trucks, Post Falls
  • Quality Stoves and Spa, Post Falls
  • ReMAX Realty, Coeur d’Alene
  • Rude Law, Coeur d’Alene

Sam.Wolkenhauer@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 457-8789 ext. 4451

Continue reading →