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Multiple Job-holding Rate Remains High in N.D.

["Since 1994, North Dakota has ranked among the top nine states with the highest multiple job-holding rates in the nation.", ""]

While North Dakota had the lowest unemployment rate in the nation in 2009, it also had the third highest multiple job-holding rate, with 8.9 percent of employed residents working more than one job in 2010.

“Our average annual wage per job grew by 47 percent from 2000 to 2009, jumping from $24,417 to $35,788, which outpaced the national increase of 31 percent,” says Richard Rathge, director of the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University. “However, we still have a significant pool of workers who work multiple jobs. One of the major down sides of multiple job holding is the reduced opportunity of those workers to be with family and friends or to engage in social or civic activities.”

Nationally, 4.9 percent of all employees held multiple jobs in 2010, which is down slightly from 5.2 percent in 2009.

This month’s “Economic Brief,” a monthly publication from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University, focuses on individual state multiple job-holding rates using data from the Current Population Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The reasons for holding multiple jobs are varied and include part-time work, low wages, limited benefits, underemployment and seasonal work, such as agricultural employment.

In 2010, South Dakota recorded the highest multiple job-holding rate at 10.3 percent, followed by Nebraska at 9 percent. All seven states in the West North Central Division (North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri) continue to register rates above the national average.

Since 1994, North Dakota has ranked among the top nine states with the highest multiple job-holding rates in the nation.

The lowest multiple job-holding rate in 2010 was in Alabama at 3.3 percent.


NDSU Agriculture Communication – Feb. 15, 2011

Source:Richard Rathge, (701) 231-8621, richard.rathge@ndsu.edu
Editor:Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.edu

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