Nearly 100,000 Idahoans Underemployed in 2010

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New data from the Idaho Department of Labor confirms what many people have suspected. The number of people who are underemployed continues to grow.  In 2010, 14.2 percent of the workforce was underemployed, compared with 12.7 percent back in 2009.  Statistics show most of the underemployed worked part-time or temporary jobs when they wanted and needed full-time work.

The Department reports 97,000 Idahos were considered underemployed in 2010, the official number of people without work hit a record 70,000 that same year.  Labor Department spokesman Bob Fick says the underemployment number could be even higher because the recession has forced some workers to take part-time jobs for longer than five months because they can’t find anything better.

This chart breaks up the data by regions. Notice Southwestern Idaho saw a decrease in the official underemployment rate:

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