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--></style><title>Fwd: FW: December Unemployment Rate Soars to 6.6
Percent</title></head><body>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Constituents: The dramatic increase
in the Idaho unemployment rate</blockquote>
<div><br>
is not good news. This is an update on the situation from Roger
Madsen,</div>
<div>Director of the Idaho Department of Labor.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Rep. Tom Trail<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Because of the dramatic increase in
December unemployment, Director Roger B. Madsen wanted to make sure
you had a copy of this information.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Editors, News Directors: Also attached
are charts with county-by-county monthly and annual rates and the
statewide statistics by month for 2007 and 2008.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="center"><img
src="cid:a06240802c58d51f90038@[192.168.153.200].1.0"
alt="image003 87.jpg" width="184" height="71"></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="center"> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><b>NEWS RELEASE</b></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><b> </b></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><b>For Immediate Release</b>: Jan 9,
2008 <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
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> <span
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> <span
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> <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><b>Information Contact</b>: Bob Fick
(208) 332-3570 ext. 3628 or Georgia Smith (208) 841-5509</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="center"><b>December Unemployment
Rate Soars to 6.6 Percent</b></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="center"><b>-Average Rate for 2008
Jumps to 4.2 Percent-</b></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Over 12,000 jobs vanished from Idaho's
economy in December, driving the state's seasonally adjusted
unemployment rate up nine-tenths of a point from November to 6.6
percent.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>More than 50,000 workers were without
jobs, more than double a year earlier, as the unemployment rate hit
its highest level in over 20 years and Idaho's economic turmoil
approached the severity of the early 1980s. The rate was only 2.7
percent in December 2007.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>The deepening recession was felt
throughout the state, hitting every sector of Idaho's economy
including government. The state paid out a record $33 million in
regular and extended jobless benefits during December and an
unprecedented $22 million during the first two weeks of
January.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Total employment fell another 7,200 to
just over 710,000, down almost 27,000 from December 2007 and the
fewest people at work in Idaho since January 2006. At 3.6 percent, it
was the largest year-over-year employment decline on
record.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>December's huge job loss - the
deepest December job loss since 1979 - capped a year where Idaho's
economy dropped over 27,000 nonfarm jobs, the first year the state has
lost jobs since 1986. Idaho employers reported hiring fewer people in
December than in any other month since mid-1999. Single job openings
were attracting hundreds of applicants.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>December's 4.1 percent job decline from
December 2007 marked the largest year-over-year job loss since October
1982 during the heart of the state's worst economic crisis since the
Great Depression.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>The dramatic spike in the jobless rate
further narrowed Idaho's gap with the national rate, which rose
four-tenths of a point to 7.2 percent. Idaho has been below the
national rate for over seven years.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> While Idaho's 6.6 percent
December forecast could be revised, any revision would be minor. Rates
for both October and November were revised downward by a tenth of a
point from the preliminary rates. The last time Idaho experienced a
month-to-month increase of more than nine-tenths of a point was in
1972.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Sectors with typically higher paying jobs
continued to be hit hard. Over 3,800 more construction jobs were lost
in December, bringing the total decline in 2008 to 7,600 and dropping
the number of construction jobs to its lowest level since April
2005.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Another 1,300 manufacturing jobs
disappeared - primarily in high technology and wood products -
pushing the overall loss in 2008 to 7,700, one of the worst annual
manufacturing job losses on record. This continued erosion left Idaho
with less than 58,000 manufacturing jobs, the smallest number since
May 1992.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Wholesale and retail trade both shed jobs
in December - a month that typically sees increased employment.
Financial services, business services and restaurants all posted job
losses.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Forty of Idaho's 44 counties saw
jobless rates rise and nine posted double-digit rates. Adams at 17.5
percent was the highest. A year ago, the highest rate was 9 percent in
Clearwater County. Clearwater was also the last county reporting an
unemployment rate at 17.5 percent - in February 1988.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Unemployment in the Boise-Nampa
metropolitan area hit 6.8 percent, up from 2.5 percent one year
earlier. In the past year, 15,800 fewer people were working, nearly 60
percent of the state's employment loss, while the ranks of the
unemployed swelled by 12,700, just over 40 percent of the increase
statewide.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>The lowest county unemployment rate in
December was 2.7 percent in Owyhee County. No other counties reported
unemployment rates below 3.5 percent. A year ago, 22 were at or below
3 percent with the lowest rate in Owyhee County at 1.2
percent.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>In 2008, unemployment averaged 4.2
percent, up a percentage point and a half from 2007's record low
average and the highest annual average rate since 2004. During 2008,
37 counties saw unemployment rates double.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Clearwater recorded the highest average
rate at 9.2 percent, well above the 2007 average of 6.6 percent. The
lowest annual average unemployment rate was reported in Teton County
at 2.3 percent. Eight other counties reported average unemployment
rates at or below 3 percent. In 2007 there were 27 counties with an
average unemployment rate at or below 3 percent.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><b>Seasonally Adjusted Forecast
Data <span
></span> </b></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">12/08</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">11/08</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">12/07</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right"> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right"> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right"> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Civilian Labor Force</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">760,300</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">760,700</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">757,100</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite
>Unemployment <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">50,100</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">43,300</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">20,200</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>% Labor Force Unemployed</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">6.6</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">5.7</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">2.7</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Total Employment</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">710,200</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">717,400</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">736,900</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right"> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right"> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right"> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Unadjusted Forecast
Data <span
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</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">12/08</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">11/08</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">12/07</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right"> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right"> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right"> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right"> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Civilian Labor Force</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">757,400</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">759,100</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">755,500</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite
>Unemployment <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">50,100</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">42,000</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">22,300</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>% Labor Force Unemployed</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">6.6</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">5.5</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">3.0</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Total Employment</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">707,300</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">717,100</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">733,200<br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font size="+3"><b>Area Unemployment
Rates <span
></span> </b></font><br>
<font size="+3"><b></b></font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">12/08</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">11/08</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">12/07</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Boise City-Nampa MSA</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">6.8</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">5.9</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">2.5</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Burley MicSA</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">6.1</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">4.5</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">3.3</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Coeur d'Alene MSA*</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">7.3</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">6.7</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">3.0</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Grangeville SLMA</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">10.3</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">8.8</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">4.8</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Hailey SLMA</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">5.5</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">4.9</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">2.1</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Idaho Falls MSA</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">4.8</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">3.5</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">1.9</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Lewiston MSA</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">6.4</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">6.0</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">3.3</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Pocatello MSA</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">5.5</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">4.7</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">2.5</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Rexburg MicSA.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">4.8</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">3.6</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">2.0</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Twin Falls MicSA</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">5.1</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">4.6</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="right">2.1</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>*Coeur d'Alene MSA includes all of
Kootenai County</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite align="center"> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>
<hr></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font face="Arial" size="-2"
color="#808080">The information contained in this e-mail from the
Idaho Department of Labor may be privileged, confidential, or
otherwise protected from disclosure. Persons who share such
information with unauthorized individuals may face penalties under
state and federal law. If you have received this e-mail in error,
please reply to the sender that you received this information in error
and delete this e-mail after replying to the
sender.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br>
Content-Type: image/jpeg; name="image003.jpg"</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Content-Description:
image003.jpg</blockquote>
<div><br></div>
<div><br></div>
<x-sigsep><pre>--
</pre></x-sigsep>
<div>Dr. Tom Trail<br>
International Trails<br>
1375 Mt. View Rd.<br>
Moscow, Id. 83843<br>
Tel: (208) 882-6077<br>
Fax: (208) 882-0896<br>
e mail ttrail@moscow.com</div>
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