This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Washington • Employers boosted hiring in 13 U.S. states in January while employment changed little in 36 states.
The Labor Department says Alaska is the only state to show a significant decline in jobs, shedding 2,100.
Nationwide, hiring picked up in January as employers added 238,000 jobs, a clear improvement over last year's average gains. A broad rebound in the global economy and greater optimism among U.S. businesses have spurred more hiring.
New Hampshire reported the largest jobs gain on a percentage basis, with a 1 percent increase, followed by Idaho and Maine with 0.7 percent each.
Unemployment rates fell in 5 states and were mostly stable in the other 45. The rates in Arkansas and Oregon fell to the lowest on records dating back to 1976.