Governor Greg Gianforte and Sarah Swanson, Commissioner of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), announced that Montana achieved new state records for total employment and labor force growth in November, based on data compiled by DLI and the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
In November, Montana’s total employment set a new all-time high, increasing by nearly 580 jobs, with over 563,000 Montanans employed. Since Governor Gianforte assumed office in January 2021, the state has created over 41,000 jobs.
Governor Gianforte expressed optimism about the positive trends, highlighting that more Montanans are employed than ever before, and the labor force continues to expand. He reiterated the commitment to a pro-family, pro-jobs agenda to support the prosperity of Montanans.
Commissioner Swanson added that the growth in Montana’s labor force signals positive signs of alleviating the worker shortage, emphasizing that the state’s job market is healthy and robust as it enters 2024.
In November, Montana’s labor force grew by over 1,400 workers, contributing to a net addition of more than 11,000 workers since the beginning of the year. The growth in the labor force slightly outpaced the growth in total employment, resulting in a marginal increase in the state’s unemployment rate to 3.0%. This marks the first time in two years that Montana’s unemployment rate reached 3.0%. Prior to Governor Gianforte’s term, the state’s unemployment rate had fallen below 3.0% in just three months in the last 50 years.
The national unemployment rate in November, according to the BLS, was 3.7%.