Unemployment Help…Now Unemployed

North Dakota’s employment agency announces layoffs and cuts in service due to federal budget shortfalls.

Job Service North Dakota began the process of notifying employees this morning.

Sixty jobs were cut along with shutting seven of its 16 offices.

The cuts come a month after lawmakers denied an emergency appropriation of $240,000 to the agency, fearing that using state money to make up for federal funding shortfalls would set a bad precedent.

Officials have said they are expected to see weekly unemployment insurance claims jump from 700 to 2,500 this month.