Jobless Rate Unchanged In Kootenai County But Better Weather Brings Gain In Panhandle Construction Jobs

April’s unemployment rate in Kootenai County remained the same as last month, while greater Panhandle unemployment edged down.

Better weather in April helped increase construction employment, said Kathryn Tacke, labor analyst for the Idaho Department of Employment.

Kootenai County’s rate stayed at 6.6 percent, but that was up slightly from 6.5 percent last April. The Panhandle rate fell to 7 percent from 7.3 percent in March and 7.1 percent last April.

Fewer of the unemployment claims at state job service offices were filed by construction workers, she said.

The state unemployment rate continued to drop, falling to 5 percent from 5.2 percent in March. That is well under the national rate in April of 5.8 percent.

However, the rate of job growth is off from last year’s fast pace, said Dwight Johnson, spokesman for the employment department in Boise.

The rates in other Panhandle counties in April: Benewah 8.8 percent from 9.1 percent; Bonner 7.6 percent from 7.9 percent; Boundary 6.2 percent from 6.8 percent; Shoshone 8.6 percent from 8.7.

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