Governor Bullock announces Montana’s unemployment rate
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News from the Office of the Governor
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today announced that Montana’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.7 percent for the month of March. The national unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.8 percent.
“We must continue to educate and train our workforce through existing programs, such as apprenticeship and traineeship, while instilling career readiness skills in the next generation of Montanans,” said Bullock. “I also encourage businesses to look for innovative ways to recruit and retain qualified employees and advocate for policy that supports working families, such as publicly funded preschool education, equal pay legislation and flexible scheduling.”
Total employment estimates indicate a gain of 326 jobs, while payroll employment posted no change over the month, suggesting that tight labor markets are constraining job growth. Montana’s labor force grew by roughly 100 people over the month, less than the number of jobs added to the economy. Businesses continue to report difficulty finding available workers.
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased 0.4 percent in March with a sizeable increase in the energy index. The index for all items less food and energy, also called core inflation, increased 0.1 percent in March.
