Instead of always jonesing for new jobs, Nevada needs to make the jobs it has better

By: Hugh Jackson

Outlets: Nevada Current

Published: January 15, 2026

Words: 1,128

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 5 days ago

Nevada’s unemployment rate has typically ranked among the nation’s highest for years, going back to the Great Recession.

Paradoxically, the state also has a lot of job openings, Gov. Joe Lombardo noted on a local podcast in December.

So why is the unemployment rate high while a lot of job openings go unfilled?

“They’re not quality jobs,” Lombardo said.

“Especially in the service industry, the dollar per hour is just not high enough …

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