The Montana Department of Labor and Industry is out with its unemployment rate numbers for the month of August, and the offerings are extremely similar to the results in past months.

“Montana’s job growth was flat, but the state has still added jobs since this time last year,” said Labor Commissioner Pam Bucy. “Employment levels this August are 3,200 higher than last year.”

Compared to the prior month though, total employment - a number that combines the self-employed with those on employee payrolls - was down again by 650 jobs, after dropping by almost that exact same amount in July.

The unemployment rate stayed unchanged at 5.3 percent, even with the total job decline because the labor force shrunk by 720 people, an event which buoyed the look of the state's unemployment numbers.

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