Idaho Unemployment Down a Hair

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell slightly to 6.7 percent in October, ending an upward trend in which the rate increased by seven-tenths of a point between April and August.

The Idaho Labor Department says the number of Idaho workers without jobs rose slightly in September before falling by more than 1,000 to 54,400 in October, marking the fourth straight month that the number of unemployed has been above 50,000. Idaho's October unemployment benefit payments were down 37 percent from October 2012, with nearly $9 million in state and federal benefits being paid to a weekly average of 8,800 claimants.

In October 2012, an average of 14,500 claimants were paid $14.2 million. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 7.2 percent in September and 7.3 percent in October, reflecting the temporary layoff of federal employees.