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Idaho’s March unemployment rate remains at 3.3%

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: April 19, 2024
Media Contact: William.Winkle@labor.idaho.gov or
Salvador.Vazquez@labor.idaho.gov

– State first in nation for over-the-year nonfarm job growth at 3.7% –

Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.3% in March, unchanged since September 2023.

The state’s labor force increased by 2,029 people (0.2%) to 971,488 while the labor force participation rate — the percentage of people 16 years of age or older who are either employed or looking for work — held steady at 62.6% between February and March.

Total employment increased by 2,092 (0.2%) to 939,175 as unemployment decreased by 63 (-0.2%) to 32,313.

Idaho’s nonfarm jobs increased by 3,100 to 866,300 in March. Industry sectors with the greatest over-the-month gains included nondurable goods manufacturing (2.1%); arts, entertainment, and recreation (1.2%); other services (1.1%); finance and insurance (1.0%); state government (0.9%); construction (0.8%); wholesale trade (0.8%); federal government (0.7%); retail trade (0.6%); and durable goods manufacturing (0.5%).

Industries that experienced job declines in March included private educational services
(-1.8%) as well professional and business services (-0.8%).

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Idaho City volunteers recognized for contributions

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: April 26, 2024
Media Contact: Renee.Bade@labor.idaho.gov

Two volunteers from Idaho City were honored for their service as part of the Idaho Capital for a Day event hosted by Gov. Brad Little, Friday, April 26.

Serve Idaho, the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism, recognized Michelle Audette and Lisa Hanson of Idaho City with the Idaho’s Brightest Star Award for their exemplary volunteer service.

Audette and Hanson served at the Idaho City Chamber of Commerce from 2015 – 2023 as president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. The Idaho City Chamber of Commerce nominated them for the extensive work they did in support of the chamber’s mission.

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Idaho’s startup growth decreases slightly in 2023 while business applications rise

Idaho generally outpaces the nation in its share of startups relative to its labor force. In 2022, the state had a peak of 11 new private establishments for every 1,000 Idahoans in the labor force. In comparison, the U.S. had roughly seven new private establishments for every 1,000 civilians in the labor force. Despite Idaho’s momentum, startup growth tapered off slightly in 2023 at 9.5 per 1,000, which falls closer to the U.S. ratio of six per 1,000.

Looking at new startups in Idaho and the U.S. that have operated for less than a year provides a glimpse of economic health both in new industry establishments and employment. Between 1994 and 2023, Idaho’s annual number of new private establishments grew from 3,249 to 9,215. This was a 183.6% increase, or 6.3% on an annual basis, despite the recent drop in 2023. By comparison, the number of new establishments nationwide grew 85.1%, or 2.9% on an annual basis, shown in Figure 1.

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Idaho launches innovative teacher apprenticeship program to fill job openings

Idaho openings for K-12 teachers remains robust, with over 1,500 unique job postings in 2023, and 2,000 in 2022 according to Lightcast data, and the demand isn’t expected to slow down anytime soon. Employment projections by the Idaho Department of Labor anticipate a continued need, forecasting 1,500 to 1,600 statewide openings annually from 2022 to 2032.

To become a teacher in Idaho, an individual must obtain a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college, complete an educator preparation program, complete an unpaid student teaching program and pass a State Board-approved content assessment to receive an endorsement for proper certification.

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Rexburg employers seek workers for vacant job openings

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: April 24, 2024
Media Contact: Maria.Martin@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho ranked No. 1 in the nation at 3.7% for over-the-year nonfarm job growth in March. While the state’s unemployment rate remains the same at 3.3%, local businesses continue to create job opportunities for residents.

Rexburg employers with job openings to fill will be available at the Idaho Department of Labor’s job fair, Tuesday, April 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at VFW – Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall, 480 W. Second N.

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Learn about the state’s minimum wage at Idaho Department of Labor seminar

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: April 17, 2024
Media Contact: Dave.Darrow@labor.idaho.gov

The department is hosting a free seminar for businesses to learn about Wage and Hour, Wednesday, April 24, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. MDT via Zoom.

Wage and Hour Program Supervisor Artie Holmes, will cover minimum wage, overtime, child labor, wage payment and other topics that protect both workers and employers.

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Idaho projected to create 120,000 jobs by 2032

For more than a decade, Idaho has consistently ranked high among the fastest growing states in the nation in critical categories like population growth and job creation. Newly released long-term industry projections from the Idaho Department of Labor show that the state is anticipated to maintain this position of strength and enjoy robust economic growth in the coming decade. With a forecasted annualized growth rate of 1.3%, Idaho is expected to grow significantly faster than the rest of the nation. In contrast, the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment in the U.S. to grow at only 0.3% annually – less than a quarter of Idaho’s expected growth rate.

The broader context of America’s shifting demographic structures have created an environment in which growth rates can vary drastically from state to state. In recent decades, falling birth rates have led to increasingly slower population growth in the U.S. and an aging population, owing to the relative shortage of young Americans compared to the growing retiree population. As a result, the main driver of population growth for individual states is no longer natural growth (family formation and births), but rather in-migration, either from other states or from foreign countries.

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Kootenai County sees high demand for workers

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: April 10, 2024
Media Contact: Tara.McKelvey@labor.idaho.gov

There are a little over 1,500 job postings in Kootenai County, according to northern Idaho Labor Economist Sam Wolkenhauer. The top industries hiring include hospitals, restaurants, insurance carriers, accommodation and retail.

The Idaho Department of Labor has approximately 80 employers attending a hiring event, Wednesday, April 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Real Life Ministries, 1860 N. Cecil Road in Post Falls.

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Caldwell’s growth creates job opportunities

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: April 4, 2024
Media Contact: Cynthia.Arment@labor.idaho.gov

The 2022 city population release reports Caldwell as the third largest city contributing to the state’s population growth, adding just over 2,000 citizens.

With the population increasing, the city has added 4,500 new jobs over the last five years, divided equally between goods production and the service industry – according to department Labor Economist Jan Roeser.

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SIDES E-Response saves employers time

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: April 3, 2024
Media Contact: Tyler.Smith@labor.idaho.gov

SIDES E-Response is a free, quick, accurate and secure way for employers to respond to unemployment insurance (UI) claim notices for laid-off or separated employees who file for unemployment benefits. The Idaho Department of Labor is encouraging Idaho employers to sign up.

When employers use SIDES (State Information Data Exchange System) to respond to information about a claim for unemployment insurance benefits filed by an employee, they play an important role in preventing and detect fraudulent claims according to SIDES Administrator Tyler Smith.

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