A quick scan of Utah unemployment rate data for the last 30 years shows that our current unemployment rate of 2.5 percent is comparatively very low and something we should be proud of (as there are consistently higher numbers of Utahns involved in the labor market, by percentage of population, than most anywhere else in the rest of the country: working more jobs, with longer hours). However, despite the very low unemployment rate, Utah also has a problem with low wages, which this translates into a greater number of working poor.



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It is great that Utah's unemployment rate is so low--it shows that our economy is still strong. However, I don't know if I can praise the situation of Utahns working longer hours at more jobs for lower pay. Some of the employers could probably step it up a bit. But that's neither her nor there. I think a lot of Europeans have it right. They work less, drive smaller more fuel-efficient cars, take more vacation time and seem not so caught up in the drive to attain. I can praise that.

With such a low level of unemployment, there is a corresponding small available unemployed labor pool searching for work. And anyone who has taken basic economics will know this means firms are increasingly competing for a shrinking number of available workers, and with a shortage in the supply of workers, wages will likely go up.

Plenty of illegals available. In fact, I'm seeing an increase in vehicles around Happy Valley bearing Arizona plates being driven by Hispanics. Gosh, I wonder why they're leaving Arizona?

The Keeper wrote:

With such a low level of unemployment, there is a corresponding small available unemployed labor pool searching for work. And anyone who has taken basic economics will know this means firms are increasingly competing for a shrinking number of available workers, and with a shortage in the supply of workers, wages will likely go up.

Plenty of illegals available. In fact, I'm seeing an increase in vehicles around Happy Valley bearing Arizona plates being driven by Hispanics. Gosh, I wonder why they're leaving Arizona?


No passport to get back into the US after the holidays, maybe?

The reason Utah has a low unemployment rate is two-fold... first, this is a cheap labor area where national and international companies (especially high-tech) love to come and set up shop, especially due to all of the college students around here and supposed honest LDS population that seek degrees in the high-tech sector. I mean, where else can you employ people with bachelor's degrees and/or years of experience for $12 per hour? Not only that, with the low wages comes the need for 2nd and 3rd incomes for a family and so the part-time jobs and other even lower-paying jobs get snagged up so that families can make ends meet better. This place is something else when it comes to employee compensation!

yep! keep em coming so well when we finally reach our time to retire guess where all our earnings have gone? our great gov. gives it to some outsider.