BOISE, Idaho – The Gem State’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 3.4% in June according to the Idaho Department of Labor (DOL) as new rules tightening access to unemployment insurance go into effect.
DOL data shows that the state’s economy moved from a 3.3% unemployment rate in May to a 3.4% rate in June, with job losses in the natural resources and arts industries.
Government jobs, private educational services and construction saw gains over the same time period.
The release of June’s higher level of joblessness coincided with new rules making it harder to qualify for unemployment insurance passed through the state legislature by the Republican supermajority and signed into law by Governor Brad Little (R)
Little’s administration has an anti-unemployment insurance record, with his office withdrawing from all federal assistance programs to handle COVID-19 related job losses in May 2021.
Additional economic data on the month of June can be found here.
