Idaho's unemployment rate continued to fall in October, dropping another tenth of a percentage point to 7 percent, the lowest level in 3-1/2 years, the Idaho Department of Labor reports. That was nearly a full percentage point below the national unemployment rate, which rose a tenth to 7.9 percent in October. You can read the full report here from Idaho DOL, and a breakdown here by county, city and labor market areas within the state.
  

The Idaho Department of Labor is warning that emails being sent to employers seeking information on former employees who may have filed unemployment insurance claims are fraudulent, and employers should ignore them. The emails, purporting to be from the state “Division of Unemployment Assistance” and coming from the email address claim@detma.org have been reported so far in the eastern United States and most recently in Montana. They appear to be an attempt at identity theft, the department said. In Idaho, the agency responsible for unemployment insurance claims is the Unemployment Insurance/Benefits Division of the Idaho Department of Labor, and it doesn't request confidential employee information by email; the department instead would make such requests by telephone, mail, or its secure employer electronic system, ECORE.

Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) ― Idaho's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell slightly to 7.4 percent in August, in part because fewer people are looking for work. Idaho lost 2,600 workers from its labor force between July and August and more than 5,500 over the summer ― the largest three-month exodus of workers on record in the state. The state Labor Department says nearly 1,100 fewer people were working in August while 1,600 left the ranks of the jobless, dropping the number of people considered to be unemployed to just over 57,000. Since the recession, more than 15,000 workers have exhausted their unemployment benefits without finding jobs and hundreds more lost extended benefits. Businesses report hiring 18,400 workers in August, mostly to replace departing workers.

Job-hunting veterans and their job-hunting spouses are being invited to a big job fair for vets next week at the Idaho Center entitled “Hiring Our Heroes.” It'll be next Wednesday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; participants are asked to pre-register online here. The job fair will feature more than 85 employers, all with current job openings; it is open to military veterans, their spouses, and members of the National Guard and reserve. One in a string of such events across the nation, it's sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Idaho Committee of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, the Idaho Department of Labor, the American Legion, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and more.

Chris Ramos, Idaho Department of Labor veterans program coordinator, said, “This is a real opportunity for Idaho employers to take advantage of the skills and abilities veterans bring to the workplace, and for veterans and their families to get an opportunity for employment with some of Idaho's great businesses.” The event is free, both for the veterans and the employers; for more information, contact Roberto Gonzales at the department, 364-7781 ext. 3372. The department also is sponsoring a workshop for veterans tomorrow to prepare for the job fair; it'll be at 1 p.m. at the Canyon County office, 4514 Thomas Jefferson St., in Caldwell; contact Gonzales to sign up.

Idaho employers facing high unemployment insurance costs can, in part, blame those who get fraudulent benefits, the Associated Press reports; the Idaho Department of Labor is now trying to recover $20 million in fraudulent payments. The state's unemployment trust fund already was under pressure as the 2008 recession pushed the jobless rate north of 9 percent, forcing the state to borrow from the federal government, then sell bonds to repay the debt; the rate at which employers pay into the fund is now at its maximum.

In this year's legislative session, the department proposed a fine for employers who don't report new hires, enabling those workers to fraudulently keep collecting unemployment benefits; it passed the Senate unanimously but was narrowly rejected in the House. Since then, the department has tried radio ads to try to encourage employers to comply with the reporting requirement. Click below for a full report from AP reporter John Miller.

Idaho's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate hit a three-year low in July, falling two-tenths of a percentage point to 7.5 percent, the Idaho Department of Labor reports. Meanwhile, the national unemployment rate rose a tenth of a point in July, to 8.3 percent.

The Conference Board estimated that Idaho now has fewer than five unemployed workers for every two posted job openings. Back at the peak of the recession in 2009, there were nine unemployed people jostling for every two posted job openings in the state. You can read the full announcement here from the Department of Labor.

Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) ― State officials say the number of unemployed workers in Idaho has dipped below 60,000 for the first time in nearly three years. Idaho's jobless rate fell to 7.7 percent in June and 59,000 workers counted as unemployed, or about 700 fewer than the previous month. The state Department of Labor says August 2009 marked the last time Idaho had fewer than 60,000 workers without jobs. The agency says payments from Idaho's unemployment trust fund were also down last month, as fewer than 21,000 workers received $19.7 million in benefits. That's a big decrease compared to a year ago, when more than 30,000 workers received $28.8 million in June 2011. Nationwide, jobless rates fell in just 11 states and Washington D.C.

Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) ― The state Department of Labor says Idaho's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose a tenth of a percentage point to 7.8 percent in May, ending a string of nine straight monthly declines. The agency says more people entered the job market while hiring slowed in much of the service sector. The national unemployment rate also was up a tenth to 8.2 percent for May. Over 721,000 Idaho residents had jobs in May, while fewer than 61,000 were unemployed. In May 2011, total employment was under 702,000 and 67,500 workers were unemployed.

Idaho's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has dropped for the ninth straight month, falling to 7.7 percent for April. That's two-tenths of a percentage point down from March. Idaho Department of Labor spokesman Bob Fick said employers hired at seasonal levels in April, and the number of Idahoans with jobs was up by 1,700 from March. Hiring in all sectors was normal for this time of the year, Fick reported, except for government and professional and business services, which saw below-normal hiring. It was the third straight month that hires have exceeded the five-year average. You can read Fick's full report here.
  

Idaho's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped below 8 percent in March for the first time in two and a half years, the Idaho Department of Labor reports. The drop to 7.9 percent was the eight straight month that the state's jobless rate fell; more Idahoans found work in March than in any other month since October of 2006. You can read the full announcement from Labor here.

More than 40 summer jobs for low-income, tech-savvy teens around the state are open at their local libraries, which are looking for teens for new grant-funded summer positions as “digital literary coaches” - teachers of basic computer skills to library patrons; the participating libraries each have one or two positions. “The unemployment rate for Idaho teenagers last year was over 20 percent,” library commission spokeswoman Teresa Lipus said. “These jobs offer a helping hand to young people, especially those from low-income homes, while at the same time help Idahoans from all walks of life navigate the computer world.”

The jobs, which pay minimum wage, are for those age 16-21; more than 70 percent of Idaho's libraries are the only free source of Internet access in their communities. Click below for more info in the full announcement from the Commission for Libraries and the Idaho Department of Labor.

Idaho's Department of Labor will start intercepting federal tax refunds headed to more than 5,000 Idahoans next year, to recover nearly $10 million in unemployment benefit overpayments due to fraud or misreported earnings. To avoid the move, the people involved, who all are being notified, will have to repay the amounts by Jan. 3, 2012, including interest and penalties; agree to a repayment plan; or request a review. For information, call toll-free (800) 672-5627.

 Department official Larry Ingram said department has collected $23 million in overpayments, interest and penalties since 2007, and has withheld state income tax refunds as part of its collection efforts, but this year will be the first time federal officials have allowed it to tap into federal income tax refunds.

Most Idaho employers aren't complying with a law requiring them to report new hires to the state Department of Labor within 20 days, the department says, making it harder for the department to track things like overpaid unemployment benefits and deadbeat parents who owe child support. AP reporter Jessie Bonner reports that only about 30 percent of employers are complying with the 1997 state law; click below for her full report.

Idaho has won a national award for its Wounded Warrior Transportation Job Training pilot program, a grant-funded program aimed at vets injured in Afghanistan and Iraq that helps them train for and find employment in the transportation field. Twenty vets are either currently in school or recently graduated as part of the program, which offers training through the College of Western Idaho; 15 are earning commercial driver’s licenses, three graduated from flagger/safety courses, and two renewed commercial licenses. “We’re ready to move forward on a statewide proposal as additional money becomes available,” said Michelle George, who works in the Idaho Transportation Department's human resources office, and wrote the $99,300 grant with Chris Ramos of the Idaho Department of Labor; the money comes from the Federal Highway Administration.

The program helps the wounded vets with financial assistance for training, day care, transportation, records, licensing and certification. It was awarded the 2011 President’s Transportation Award in Administration from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).