North Dakota had the eighth highest multiple jobholding rate in the nation in 2006, with 8.4 percent of employed residents working more than one job. This rate is down from 9.9 percent in 2005.

“This is good news for North Dakota because it indicates a consistent decline in multiple jobholders during the past three years,” says Richard Rathge, director of the North Dakota State Data Center, which is at North Dakota State University. “We no longer are among the top two states, which suggests our employment picture is becoming brighter.”

This month’s “Economic Brief,” a monthly publication from the North Dakota State Data Center, focuses on individual state multiple jobholding rates as released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The reasons for multiple jobholding are varied and include part-time work, low wages, limited benefits, underemployment and seasonal work, such as agricultural employment.

In 2006, three states in the upper Great Plains (Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming), along with Vermont and Alaska, had multiple jobholding rates of more than 9 percent. Nationally, 5.2 percent of employees held multiple jobs.

While the highest multiple jobholding rates continue to be found in the upper Great Plains, many states along the nation’s southern border reported some of the lowest rates. In 2006, the lowest rates were recorded in Florida, Georgia and West Virginia (3.9 percent, 3.5 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively).

NDSU Agriculture Communication