Category Archives: News Releases

Idaho’s May Unemployment Rate Drops to 3%

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: June 18, 2021
Media Contact: Craig Shaul, Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov or Salvador Vazquez, Salvador.Vazquez@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped from 3.1% in April to 3% for May.

Total employment grew to 874,143, up 0.2% (+1,978), while total unemployment dropped 3% (-865) to 27,351.

May’s labor force and steady participation rate continued to benefit from population increases. Idaho’s labor force grew by one-tenth of a percent to 901,494, marking two consecutive months of gains. The labor force participation rate remained unchanged at 62.7%.

Continue reading →

Nominations Open for Idaho’s Outstanding Volunteers and Philanthropists

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: June 14, 2021
Media Contact: Renee Bade, renee.bade@labor.idaho.gov

Nominations for the annual Idaho Philanthropy Day awards are now open. Each year, Idaho volunteers and philanthropists are honored for outstanding contributions to their communities. Three regional virtual events will take place in November to recognize winners from eastern, northern and southwestern Idaho.

Idaho Philanthropy Day logo“Idaho’s volunteers provide enormous benefits to our people and communities across the state. It is important that we take the time to recognize those individuals who give so much back to our state by volunteering their time and talent to improve the lives of those around them,” Idaho Gov. Brad Little said.

The program organizers, Serve Idaho, the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism, and the Idaho Nonprofit Center, encourage community members to nominate their neighbors online at IdahoNonprofits.org. Submissions will be accepted through July 19, 2021. Categories include:

      • Outstanding Philanthropic Company/Foundation
      • Outstanding Nonprofit
      • Outstanding Adult Philanthropist
      • Outstanding Adult Volunteer – Idaho’s Brightest Star
      • Outstanding Youth

Continue reading →

Scammers Target Idahoans with Fake Unemployment Text Messages

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: June 14, 2021
Media Contacts: Joshua McKenna, joshua.mckenna@labor.idaho.gov or Georgia Smith, georgia.smith@labor.idaho.gov

The Idaho Department of Labor is reminding Idahoans to be alert for a text messaging scam involving unemployment insurance claims.

Individual personal information has been compromised, hacked or breached by fraudsters in a large-scale nationwide scam involving phony texts about unemployment insurance.

If you receive a text with a link regarding unemployment insurance, disregard the text and do not click on the link. A fraudster has obtained – or stolen – your telephone number and is most likely using it to access unemployment benefits and steal your personal information. The text states your Idaho unemployment insurance claim is on hold for verification and instructs you to click on a link to reactivate your benefits. This text is a scam and should be deleted immediately.

Continue reading →

Idaho’s Rural-to-Urban Population Shift Continued in 2020

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:  June 11, 2021
Media Contact: Kathryn Tacke, (208) 799-5000 ext. 3984 or Craig Shaul, (208) 332-3570 ext. 3201

Idaho’s urban areas continue to see significant population growth according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s recently released city population estimates for 2020.  

The Gem State had the fastest growing population in the nation — up 2.1% — between 2019 and 2020, with much of the growth occurring in Idaho’s urban areas. Nationwide, there are 3,093 cities with populations larger than 10,000. When those cities are ranked based on their percentage growth between 2019 and 2020, eight of the top 200 fastest-growing cities are in Idaho — Kuna (43), Post Falls (46), Star (55), Eagle (65), Meridian (70), Nampa (151) Ammon (167) and Caldwell (171) — all with growth rates ranging from 7.5% to 3.5%.

Continue reading →

HCL America Inc. – Idaho Workers May Qualify for Training and Services Under Trade Act

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: June 4, 2021
Media Contact: Georgia Smith georgia.smith@labor.idaho.gov

Employees of HCL America Inc. – Idaho who have or will become totally or partially separated from employment at HCL America Inc. on or after Dec. 24, 2019, and before April 14, 2023, may be eligible for re-employment services under the federal Trade Act.

Former or current workers eligible to apply must be or have been engaged in the supply of engineering, research and development and digital process operation.

Continue reading →

Labor Direct Job Referral Program Begins June 1

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 28, 2021
Media Contact: Georgia Smith, georgia.smith@labor.idaho.gov

A new Department of Labor referral program will result in more customized matches between job seekers and Idaho employers.

Starting June 1, department workforce consultants will refer qualified unemployment insurance claimants to job openings posted on IdahoWorks, the state’s job search engine, during one-on-one meetings.

Claimants will be referred to the job openings based on their skills and experience – and they must apply to fill the vacancy within two business days to remain eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.

Continue reading →

Idaho Job Corps Celebrates First Graduating Class

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 21, 2021
Media Contact: Tina Polishchuk, tina.polishchuk@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho Job Corps will celebrate its first graduates of 2020 and 2021, Monday, May 24, from 3:30-5:30 p.m., on the grounds of the Centennial Job Corps center, 3201 Ridgeview Drive in Nampa.

Monday’s graduation ceremonies will honor 22 students who accomplished their personal career goals by completing high school, earning their GED or receiving a skills certificate for an in-demand occupation like welding or phlebotomy.

Locally, the Idaho Department of Labor partners with the College of Western Idaho to deliver education, training and a whole host of wrap-around services to low-income students with barriers to employment.

Jayson, Jeremy and Braden (holding certificates) are part of a second class of students to become certified welders.

The Idaho Job Corps program is also available at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls and the College of Eastern Idaho in Idaho Falls.

Continue reading →

Idaho’s April Unemployment Rate Drops to 3.1%

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 21, 2021
Media Contacts: Craig Shaul, craig.shaul@labor.idaho.gov or Karen Jarboe Singletary, karen.jarboesingletary@labor.idaho.gov

Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.1% in April, dropping slightly from 3.2% in March.

The state’s seasonally adjusted labor force increased by 969 to 900,324, marking the first increase for Idaho’s labor force this year.

The total number of working Idahoans grew by 1,603 to 872,168, while the number of unemployed dropped slightly from 28,815 in March to 28,156.

Idaho’s April labor force participation rate – the percentage of people 16 years and older with jobs or looking for work – was 62.7%, down slightly from 62.8%.

Continue reading →

Idaho’s Volunteers of the Year Recognized In Person on May 19

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 17, 2021
Media Contact: Renee Bade, renee.bade@labor.idaho.gov

Three Gov. Cecil D. Andrus Volunteer of the Year Award recipients will be recognized in person during a small ceremony at 2 p.m. on May 19 in the Cecil D. Andrus Park in Boise.

Representatives of the Idaho Nonprofit Center and Serve Idaho, first presented the awards virtually to the three volunteers – Alina Rahim, Bill “Action” Jackson and Mary Robinette – in November.

This time, Gov. Brad Little and Tracy Andrus, daughter of the late Gov. Cecil D. Andrus, will recognize each of the winners in person:

  • At age 13, Alina Rahim of created an organization in Pocatello called Youth Activism Society (YAS) whose mission is to empower local youth to advocate for marginalized communities and volunteer with local initiatives.
  • Bill Jackson of Boise created the Idaho Youth Education Recycling Partnership, which recycles scrap metal from around the state.
  • Mary Robinette of Hayden has been a volunteer with Family Promise of North Idaho for eight years, which serves homeless families with children in the region.
  • Photos and honoree details can be found on the Idaho Labor blog at idahoatwork.com. Search for “Idaho Volunteers Recognized.”

The annual Idaho Philanthropy Day awards recognizes outstanding volunteers and philanthropists from throughout Idaho. In 2020, Serve Idaho combined efforts with the Idaho Nonprofit Center, replacing the previous Idaho’s Brightest Stars event. This is the third year that the Governor Cecil D. Andrus Volunteer of the Year Award was presented. Nominations for the 2021 Idaho Philanthropy Day awards are now open at idahononprofits.org/idaho-philanthropy-day.html. 

####

Serve Idaho, a division of the Idaho Department of Labor, encourages voluntary public service and volunteerism throughout the state. The Serve Idaho Commission is funded in part by AmeriCorps and the Idaho Department of Labor.

100+ Idaho employers will be hiring in Caldwell on May 19

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 18, 2021
Media Contact: Bob Vetter, (208) 332-3570 x 3913

Southwest District Health Department to offer free Covid-19 vaccine shots

The number of Idaho employers looking for employees at an outdoor hiring event in Caldwell this week has grown from 70 businesses to more than 100 with 3,000 jobs to fill.

The four-hour event starts at 10 a.m. and will run until 2 p.m., Wednesday, May 19 at the GALS Quad softball fields, 4700 Skyway St., in Caldwell.

Large employers including Ada County, St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, St. Luke’s Hospital, Amazon and Capitol Distributing are looking for electrical engineers, certified medical assistants, maintenance technicians, superintendents, security staff, warehouse associates, forklift drivers, custodians, customer service reps, landscaping staff and more.

Continue reading →