Idaho struggles with labor shortage despite low unemployment

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The United States continues to struggle to recover from the labor shortages created by the pandemic. As KMVT previously reported, Idaho is not immune to the challenges.

According to a study by CareerCloud, Idaho has an unemployment rate among the lowest in the nation at just 3%.

The study also shows that there is room for improvement, saying there are 1.29 jobs available for each unemployed Idahoan.

With the number of jobs available, KMVT asked how it is that there still people unemployed. According to those who worked on the study, it could be a combination of reasons.

“A few have suggested that it was due to the unemployment benefits that were in place, while others blame fallout from the pandemic,” said Macy Sarbacker with CareerCloud. “We also have to keep in mind there could be childcare, skill gaps, and other causes also playing a role as well. There’s a wide variety of things and the picture is very different from state to state.”

The state also showed that Idaho’s employment rate fluctuated very little during the pandemic, showing unemployment in the state never reaching even 6%.

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