Monthly Archives: July 2020

Around Idaho: Economic Activity in June 2020

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 Idaho
Eastern Idaho

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

Kootenai County

Coeur d’Alene internet provider Intermax Networks has expanded into the Spokane market by acquiring Telwest Inc., a Spokane-based telecommunications provider. Source: Journal of Business
Kootenai County is on the shortlist of potential sites for a new manufacturing plant KORE Power – a battery manufacturer – is planning to build in the United States. KORE’s corporate operations are already located in Coeur d’Alene, but their manufacturing operations are currently in China. KORE plans to build a new plant in the United States which will employ roughly 3,000 people once fully operational. Source: CDA Press

Shoshone County

A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency highlighted the successful completion of a variety of cleanup projects related to the Bunker Hill Superfund Site and laid out plans for an additional $20 million in cleanup work and construction through the end of 2020. Source: CDA Press

Regional openings

Northwest Softplay in Post Falls
A&R Metalworks in Dalton Gardens
Jitterz Espresso in Hayden

Coeur d’Alene openings

CDA Marine Sports
Pokeworks
Camfit CDA
Burger King
StretchLab
Lean Kitchen

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

Continue reading →

Awards Ceremony to Recognize Idaho’s Top Volunteers and Philanthropists

News Release

For Immediate Release: July 9, 2020
Media Contact: Renee Bade, renee.bade@labor.idaho.gov

Serve Idaho, the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism, is partnering with the Idaho Nonprofit Center’s annual Idaho Philanthropy Day.

The event will recognize Idaho’s top volunteers and philanthropists with a series of ceremonies that will take place in November in northern, southwestern and eastern Idaho. The event will replace the annual Idaho’s Brightest Stars ceremony in Boise previously hosted by Serve Idaho.

“We are excited for this amazing opportunity to partner with the Idaho Nonprofit Center and other partners to recognize Idaho residents who give of their time, talents and treasures to better their communities” said Renee Bade, Serve Idaho program supervisor.

Continue reading →

Idaho’s Weekly Initial Claims Decline 9 Percent from Previous Week

News Release

For Immediate Release: July 9, 2020
Media Contact: Craig Shaul, Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov or Salvador Vazquez, Salvador.Vazquez@labor.idaho

New initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits totaled 4,924 for the week ending July 4, decreasing 9 percent – or 493 claims – from the previous week.

The four-week moving average rose 6 percent to an average of 4,564 new initial claims per week.

Continued claims – the number of people who requested a benefit payment – dropped by 6 percent from the previous week to 29,090, the ninth consecutive week of declines. The four-week moving average fell 13 percent from 37,122 to 32,450 for the week ending July 4.

Continue reading →

Economic Rebound from COVID-19 Will Take Time

The fallout from COVID-19 has Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate soaring from a record low of 2.5 percent in March to a record high of 11.8 percent in April. With the lockdown phasing out in late May and early June in most of the state, many jobs are being restored. But the Idaho economy, as well as economies around the globe, may not rebound completely for some time.

More than one in four young Idahoans lost jobs

Teens and young adults experienced the most job losses during the first 10 weeks of the crisis. More than one in four (25.6 percent) Idaho workers under 35 years old filed new unemployment insurance claims between March 15 and May 23, while 15.7 of workers 35 years and older filed new claims.

Why did young people encounter especially large unemployment spikes? Youth make up a large proportion of the workforce of the two sectors with the most layoffs – leisure & hospitality and retail – which together accounted for 28 percent of all new unemployment claims. People under age 35 held 60 percent of leisure and hospitality jobs and 43 percent of retail jobs in 2019, according to the Census Bureau’s Quarterly Workforce Indicators. Youth are less likely to hold the managerial and professional jobs that could be done at home. In addition, employers typically lay off less experienced workers, while keeping those with greater seniority.

Continue reading →

Idaho’s Weekly Initial Claims Increase from Previous Week

News Release

For Immediate Release: July 2, 2020
Media Contact: Darlene Carnopis, darlene.carnopis@labor.idaho.gov or Georgia Smith, georgia.smith@labor.idaho.gov

New initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits totaled 5,417 for the week ending June 27, increasing 26 percent – or 1,132 claims – from the previous week.

The four-week moving average rose 11 percent to an average of 4,322 new initial claims per week.

Continued claims – the number of people who requested a benefit payment – dropped by 7 percent from the previous week to 30,866, the eighth consecutive week of declines. The four-week moving average for continued claims also fell 12 percent from 42,160 for the week ending June 20 to 37,122 for the week ending June 27.

Continue reading →

Labor Department Clears 85 Percent of Pending Unemployment Claims

News Release

For Immediate Release: July 1, 2020
Media Contact: Darlene Carnopis, darlene.carnopis@labor.idaho.gov or Georgia Smith, georgia.smith@labor.idaho.gov

The Idaho Department of Labor has cleared about 85 percent of 42,000 pending claims, as of June 6, and expects to work through the remaining 5,500 pending claims by mid-July.

A total of 120 Maximus call center agents are now working with department staff to answer phones and re-set passwords among other tasks. With increased staffing, wait times have been cut in half and most calls are now being answered. Call volumes have significantly decreased as backlogs reduce.

Continue reading →