(MINOT, North Dakota)—
The national unemployment rate is down to 7.7 percent, but that's just an average. In some states the rate is much lower.North Dakota's unemployment rate is 3.1 percent. Building in Minot, North Dakota is booming, but the workforce can't keep up with staffing retail stores. There are so few workers, one Menards store is flying workers in from out of state to work there.
"They get on the plane, they come here, spend four or five days. We provide transportation and lodging of course and then they fly back out, spend a few days at home and then fly back out again," explains store manager Phil Graef.
Most of the workers staffing the Minot Menard's come from stores in Wisconsin and Minnesota. They travel about 600 miles to get to work.
