Utah’s employment for June 2022 increased by 3.5 percent over the last year landing the state’s job count at 1,666,300. Duchesne County has had an employment increase of 2.5 percent over the year with the current employment at 8,310 and Uintah County employment has increased by 3.5 percent with employment at 13,257. Daggett County has not kept with the state trend with employment a year ago at 548 and currently at 512. Mark Knold, Chief Economist at the Department of Workforce Services, says inflation is currently the most pressing economic issue in Utah but even so he doesn’t indicate that the strong economy is at risk. “At such high levels, there is always concern that high inflation will find a way to weaken the economy,” shares Knold. “So far though there is no evidence that such is happening in Utah. Job growth remains strong and the unemployment rate is very low and little moved across the past six months. New unemployment insurance claims remain tame. That measurement is oftentimes the first indicator that something is weakening in the economy. But again, largely no movement at all is happening there.” Unemployment numbers will be updated this week.
