Montana’s Unemployment Rate up Slightly to 3.4% in October

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly to 3.4% in October.

Gov. Steve Bullock says 851 people joined the workforce last month due to wage growth and increased job opportunities. That’s the largest monthly gain in the labor force since 2015.

The U.S. unemployment rate also moved up 0.1 percentage points to 3.6%.

Montana’s total employment — which includes agricultural, payroll and self-employed workers — showed a gain of 676 jobs in October. The Department of Labor and Industry says payroll employment accounted for 600 of those jobs. The number of unemployed people increased by 175.