BOISE, Idaho – Idaho’s unemployment rate declined slightly in August.

The Idaho Department of Labor, which released the numbers on Friday, said the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 2.8 percent, down from 2.9 percent in July.

It’s been a whole year now that Idaho’s unemployment rate has been at or below 3 percent, according to the department.

The labor department said total employment in the state increased by 676 to 828,864, noting that employment continued “to grow … at a slower rate than earlier in the year.” The number of unemployed persons decreased by 588 to 24,603.

Total nonfarm jobs decreased by 1,500 in August, according to the news release, while the statewide labor force increased by 15,884 (1.9 percent), and total employment grew by 17,400 (2.1 percent).

Health care occupations, including physicians, surgeons, psychiatrists, occupational and physical therapists and support positions, represented about 15 percent of all hard-to-fill online openings. … Manufacturing, construction, other services and government all exceeded seasonal expectations for a combined increase of 800 jobs. Natural resources, information and financial activities remained unchanged. Leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, education and health services and trade, transportation and utilities had a combined decrease of 2,300 jobs, outweighing modest gains in other sectors.

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