Cheri Giesen

Executive Director

NEWS
For Immediate Release

Contact: Michael Ziesch

September 18, 2015

701.328.2888
mziesch@nd.gov

North Dakotas Unemployment Rate 2.5% for August

BISMARCK, N.D. Job Service North Dakota reported that labor statistics released today show North
Dakotas August not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.5 percent. The rate is largely unchanged
from prior month (2.6 percent), and is unchanged from one year ago. The national rate in August was 5.2
percent. Michael Ziesch, Labor Market Information manager stated, July and August labor force data tend to
be similar as both are midsummer months, with related economic activity, and this year is no exception.
North Dakota Not Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force Data
Unemployment Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor Force

August 2015
2.5%
10,553
403,553
414,106

July 2015
2.6%
10,745
407,614
418,359

August 2014
2.5%
10,717
414,112
424,829

The nations seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.1 percent for August, a slight decrease from prior
month (5.3 percent). The current months rate was 1.0 percentage points below last year (6.1 percent). The
seasonally adjusted rate for North Dakota was 2.9 percent in August, little changed over the month (July 3.0
percent) and 0.2 percentage points above last year (2.7 percent). The seasonal adjustment process uses a
statistical adjustment to accommodate predictable fluctuations between months such as length of daylight
and typical weather. Seasonal adjustment allows for comparison between all months of a year.

North Dakota
United States

Seasonally Adjusted Rates

August 2015
July 2015
2.9%
3.0%
5.1%
5.3%

August 2014
2.7%
6.1%

Notes:
1. The unemployment rate is the percentage of people actively seeking work compared to those in the labor force (employed plus unemployed).
2. Data are subject to revision.
3. The Job Service North Dakota Labor Market Information Center produced these statistics using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics nationallyrequired standard methodology.
4. County and substate areas will be posted on 9-23-2015 to the Labor Market Information website: http://www.ndworkforceintelligence.com.

Job Service North Dakota, PO Box 5507, Bismarck, ND 58506-5507

TTY: 1.800.366.6888

www.jobsnd.com