Idaho unemployment rate stabilizes

Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged from August to September at 6.8 percent and then improved to 6.7 percent in October.

According to the Idaho Department of Labor, that ended an upward trend of increased unemployment rates from April to August.

The number of Idaho workers without jobs rose slightly in September before falling more than 1,000 to 51,400 in October. It was the fourth straight month unemployment has surpassed 50,000 people.

Total employment was up by 300 people over the two months.

October’s unemployment benefit payments were down 37 percent. Nearly $9 million in state and federal benefits were paid to a weekly average of 8,800 claimants in October. Just over a quarter of those payments were federally financed extended benefits. Those will cease at the end of the year.