The three Idaho Department of Labor offices in southwestern Idaho continue their extended hours this week to assist the increasing number of workers who have lost their jobs due to the national recession.
The Boise, Meridian and Canyon County offices are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. The need for extended hours will be reassessed after this week.
“With the unemployment rate in the Boise-Nampa metropolitan area at 7.7 percent in February — nearly a full percentage point higher than the state rate — the number of workers needing assistance has been significant,” Area Manager Kristyn Roan said. “Our consultants can help them collect unemployment benefits, search for new jobs and secure the training needed to re-enter the work force.”
Last week, 49,000 unemployed workers received nearly $14.5 million in jobless benefits. A year earlier, the state paid just $5.7 million in benefits to fewer than 22,000 unemployed Idahoans.
The local offices provide job seekers access to computers, fax machines, copiers and assistance in putting together résumés and sharpening interview skills as well as searching the database of job listings for the region, the state and the nation.
Workers can also access many programs and services through the Idaho Department of Labor Web site at http://labor.idaho.gov.