Idaho’s March Unemployment Unchanged at 2.9 Percent

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NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: April 19, 2019
Information Contact: Craig Shaul (208) 332-3570 ext. 3201 or Karen Jarboe Singletary (208) 332-3570 ext. 3215

Third Fastest Rate in the Nation for Over-the-Year Job Growth

Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March remained steady at 2.9 percent, the 16th consecutive month at or below 3 percent.

An additional 1,737 people entered the labor force from February to March, a slight 0.2 percent increase that pushed Idaho’s seasonally adjusted labor force number up to 868,263. The number of unemployed increased by 141, or 0.6 percent, to 24,918. Total employment increased by 1,596, up 0.2 percent to 843,345.

Idaho’s labor force participation rate – the percentage of people age 16 years or older working or looking for work – increased one tenth of a percent to 63.9 percent.

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Explore Career Opportunities in Variety of Industries at April 30 Expo

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NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: April 18, 2019
Information Contact: Vicki Raass, (208) 364-7781 ext 3876

Representatives from several industries will be on hand at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa on April 30, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to give young people and other job seekers information about different careers available in the area.

Explore Your Future career expo provides a behind-the-scenes look at local businesses and highlights careers in health care, public safety, IT, aerospace, transportation, manufacturing, construction, agriculture, military, energy and many more.

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Hiring Workers with Disabilities Topic of Luncheon Meeting April 18

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NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: April 11, 2019
Information Contact: Amy Reynolds, (208) 415-5406

Presentation Prepares Businesses for May 1 Job Fair

The Human Resource Network of North Idaho is hosting an April 18 employer luncheon to address hiring people with disabilities. Discussion will focus on labor laws and how they apply to hiring and accommodating workers with disabilities.

Hiring Employees with Disabilities luncheon meeting will be held April 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Best Western Coeur d’Alene Inn at 506 W. Appleway Ave.

The goal of this presentation is to review compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and to encourage and prepare businesses to participate in the Discovery Job Fair May 1 at the Idaho Department of Labor Kootenai County local office.

Luncheon speakers will include Benjamin Earwicker, Ph.D., administrator, Idaho Human Rights Commission; Kara Heikkila, employment attorney with Witherspoon Kelley; Cameron Cushing, vocational rehabilitation specialist, Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation; Terri Johnson , vice president, Tesh; and Theresa Moran, special education instructor, Project SEARCH.

For more information and to register for the luncheon, visit www.hrnni.org.

Businesses interested in recruiting at the May 1 Discovery Job Fair can contact Stacey Hanlon at the Idaho Department of Labor, (208) 457-8789, ext. 3947 or stacey.hanlon@labor.idaho.gov.

For more information about the job fair, see the Idaho Department of Labor online calendar.

–end—

Six Reasons to Register Your Apprenticeship 

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USDOL Registered Apprenticeships have an advantage over non-registered programs and benefit job seekers and employers in the following way:

  1. National Credential – Registered Apprenticeship graduates receive a national, industry-recognized credential that is portable and stackable.
  2. Quality Standards – Registration means the program meets national and independent standards for quality and rigor. Registration tells prospective employees, customers and suppliers a business invests in its workforce and believes employees are its most important asset.
  3. High Quality and Safe Working Conditions – Emphasis on program safety may reduce worker compensation costs.
  4. Technical Assistance and Support – Businesses that register their apprenticeship programs with USDOL receive access to a nationwide network of expertise, customer service and support at no charge for program sponsors.
  5. Tax Credits – In some states, businesses qualify for state-based tax credits related to apprenticeship programs. Employers may also be able to claim some expenses for training as a federal tax credit.
  6. Federal Resources – Businesses and apprentices can access funding and other resources from many federal programs to help support their Registered Apprenticeship programs, including Pell Grants and the GI Bill.

Contact Bill Kober, (208) 321-2973 or (208) 703-3782 for more information.

– Idaho Department of Labor

Rural Areas Seek Apprentices for Maintaining Sewer, Water Systems

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Safe, plentiful and affordable drinking water, environmentally sound wastewater treatment, and the people who maintain the systems – are some of Idaho’s most precious resources and something many people take for granted.

“We are encouraging our 120 members to plan for the future,” explained Kelsie Cole, apprenticeship coordinator for the Idaho Rural Water Association. “More than half the professionals who oversee or operate Idaho’s drinking water and wastewater facilities are within 10 years or less of retirement. One-third are more than 55 years old. Another 30 percent are over age 45.”

Cole’s job is to meet the demand for future operators by pairing quality job candidates with a new statewide apprenticeship program involving 120 Idaho cities and communities that operate drinking water and wastewater systems throughout the state.

The Association is using a $30,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to recruit job candidates interested in a career managing Idaho’s drinking water or wastewater systems. What they need is more Idaho cities and communities willing to step up and offer the on-the-job training component of the apprenticeship program.

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Around Idaho: Economic Activity in March 2019

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Information provided in this article 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

Kootenai County

  • Medical services continue to expand in Kootenai County. Inland Northwest Therapy, a pediatric physical, speech and occupational therapy clinic, is opening a new location in Post Falls. Resilience Psychiatric Medicine is also opening a new facility in Coeur d’Alene. Source: Spokane Journal of Business
  • Hospice of North Idaho has started construction on a $1.8 million expansion to its inpatient facilities to help meet Kootenai County’s growing need for end-of-life care. The expansion will add patient rooms and additional space for families, and it is expected to be completed by September. Source: Spokane Journal of Business
  • Coeur d’Alene City officials are working with the Idaho Transportation Department to rework traffic signaling on key transit corridors. Traffic congestion in Coeur d’Alene has increased substantially as the population has grown, and city officials believe that turning control of the signaling over to ITD will help alleviate congestion. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
  • After failing to find a buyer, Shopko announced it will be closing all of its remaining stores over the summer, and the closure of its Coeur d’Alene location is now slated for June 16. The Coeur d’Alene Shopko was initially not on the company’s closure list when it announced a restructuring plan in January. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
  • Viking Builders will construct a new subdivision in Hayden. The new development will include 52 single-family homes on a 20 acre parcel, in addition to lots for commercial space. Construction will begin after the completion of a new sewer lift station this spring. (Source: Coeur d’Alene Press)

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

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Employer Workshops Focus on Unemployment Insurance, Labor Laws

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News Release

For Immediate Release: March 22, 2019
Information Contact: Bea Murphy, (208) 332-3570 ext. 3523

The Idaho Department of Labor is presenting a series of free, half-day workshops throughout the state about unemployment insurance and labor laws for employers.

The workshops will be led by unemployment insurance specialists, who will discuss updates to Idaho labor laws and help employers learn how to control unemployment insurance taxes. Topics include employee separations, responding to benefits claims, the appeals process, labor law changes, fraud and related topics.

Schedule and locations are:

MARCH
March 27 – Meridian Department of Labor Office, 1090 E. Watertower Lane, Suite 100, Meridian
March 28 – Canyon County Department of Labor Office, 4514 Thomas Jefferson St., Caldwell

APRIL
April 10 – Boise – Idaho Correctional Industries, 1301 N. Orchard St., Suite 110, Boise
April 23 – Sandpoint Edgewater Best Western, 56 Bridge St., Sandpoint
April 24 – Kootenai County Department of Labor Office, 600 N. Thornton St., Post Falls
April 25 – Lewiston Hampton Inn, 2701 Nez Perce Dr., Lewiston

JUNE
June 12 – Idaho Falls Department of Labor Office, 1515 E. Lincoln Road, Idaho Falls
June 13 – Pocatello Department of Labor Office, 430 N. 5th Ave., Pocatello

Supervisors, managers, human resource specialists and others wishing to participate should reserve their space in this workshop by contacting Brad Stadsvold at (208) 332-3570 ext. 3972 or by email at Brad.Stadsvold@labor.idaho.gov. Additional information is also available on Labor’s online calendar of events.

 –end —

 

Idaho’s February Unemployment Rate Up Slightly to 2.9 Percent

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NEWS  RELEASE

For Immediate Release:March 22, 2019

Information Contact: Craig Shaul (208) 332-3570 ext. 3201 or Karen Jarboe Singletary (208) 332-3570 ext. 3215

Fastest in the Nation for Over-the-Month Job Growth

Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February increased slightly from January to 2.9 percent, the 15th consecutive month at or below 3 percent.

Idaho nonfarm jobs increased by 3,600 (up 0.5 percent) for a monthly total of  750,600. February’s increase was the fastest job growth rate in the nation and the second-largest statistically significant job increase added by any state.

The largest month-to-month industry job gains were in professional and business services (+2.3 percent), manufacturing (+1.3 percent) and education and health services (+0.7 percent). Construction, information and leisure and hospitality were the only three sectors that experienced job declines, shedding a total of 1,400 jobs. Continue reading →

Idaho Records 37 Work-Related Fatalities in 2017

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Idaho’s 37 work-related fatalities in 2017 was up seven from 2016, according to newly released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among data collected:

  • Transportation incidents accounted for 17 fatalities and 10 were caused by contact with objects and equipment.
  • Among private industry, the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector had the largest number of fatalities in the state with 15.
  • Men accounted for 97 percent of the work-related fatalities.

Find additional information and national comparisons in the the full news release on the  BLS website.

Additional information on the BLS website includes:

2019 Serve Idaho Conference to Focus on Giving Back

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News Release

For Immediate Release: March 13, 2019
Information Contact: Renee Bade, (208) 332-3578 ext. 4061

Serve Idaho is hosting its 2019 annual conference- Giving Back Unites – March 27-28 in the Jordan Ballroom at Boise State University Student Union.

The general conference takes place March 27, 8 a.m. to 4:30. On March 28, the focus is on AmeriCorps members.

The audience for the general conference includes nonprofit and volunteer management professionals, AmeriCorps members and program directors, and individuals hoping to increase their skillset in volunteer and nonprofit management.

Luke Mickelson

Stephanie Taylor-Silva

 

 

 

 

 

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