In brief: Idaho jobless rate up slightly
An increase in the number of people looking for jobs helped nudge Idaho’s statewide unemployment rate to 4.1 percent in July.
July was the third consecutive month that Idaho’s unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percent, according to the state Department of Labor.
About 1,200 Idaho residents joined the labor force in July, which means they were either employed or looking for work.
The state’s construction, manufacturing and service sectors added jobs last month. But those gains were offset by a seasonal decline in public education jobs.
In Kootenai County, the July unemployment rate was 4.9 percent, compared to 4.7 percent for June.
July rates for other North Idaho counties were: Bonner, 6 percent; Boundary, 5.3 percent; Benewah, 7.3 percent; and Shoshone, 7.6 percent.
Oil price lowest since 2009
NEW YORK – The price of U.S. oil closed under $40 a barrel on Monday for the first time since the days of the global economic crisis on fears of a slowdown in the world economy.
Already trading at six-year lows on a prolonged slump, U.S. crude fell $2.21 to finish at $38.24 per barrel. Oil hadn’t closed below $40 since February 2009, although it briefly traded below that level on Friday. Monday’s closing price was the lowest since Feb. 18, 2009.
Chipotle to hire up to 4,000
Chipotle Mexican Grill on Monday pledged to fill up to 4,000 entry-level jobs nationwide on its first National Career Day, to be held next month.
The restaurant chain, which employs more than 60,000 people and has a location in Spokane, said managers at each location will interview up to 60 applicants from 8 to 11 a.m. Sept. 9. To register, visit nationalcareerday.com.
Hack may have led to suicides
TORONTO – The hacking of the cheating website Ashley Madison has triggered extortion crimes and led to two unconfirmed reports of suicides, Canadian police said Monday.
The company behind Ashley Madison is offering a $500,000 Canadian reward for information leading to the arrest of members of a group that hacked the site.
Hackers last week released detailed records on millions of people registered with the website, a month after a break-in at Ashley Madison’s parent company, Toronto-based Avid Life Media Inc. The website is marketed to facilitate extramarital affairs.
Toronto police acting staff Superintendent Bryce Evans said the hack is having an “enormous social and economic fallout.”
Ignition switch claims rejected
DETROIT – Lawyers hired to compensate victims of General Motors’ faulty ignition switches have finished determining which claims are eligible, rejecting 91 percent of them.
The compensation fund led by lawyer Kenneth Feinberg approved 399 of the 4,343 claims filed and rejected 3,944.
Camille Biros, deputy administrator of the fund, said Monday the claims that were rejected “couldn’t support any connection to the ignition switch.”
For example, she said, claims were submitted for cars that weren’t part of the recall for faulty ignition switches in older compacts such as the Chevrolet Cobalt. In other cases, the air bags inflated in the crash, an indication that the ignition switches were not at fault, Biros said.
The fund has made offers in 124 death cases and 275 injury crashes. Of those, 325 were accepted, eight rejected and 65 haven’t decided.