North Dakota

Labor study shows North Dakota is hardest working state

Published

2 years ago

August 28, 2024

Labor study shows North Dakota is hardest working state

With only 48 percent of Americans having used all of their paid time off last year, the personal-finance website WalletHub has released its report on 2024’s Hardest-Working States in America, as well as expert commentary, to find out where Americans are putting in the most effort, as well as where people might need to take a break.

WalletHub compared the 50 states across 10 key metrics. The data set ranges from the average number of hours worked per week to the share of workers with multiple jobs to the average leisure time spent per day.

Top 20 Hardest-Working States in America

North Dakota was rated as the hardest working state, followed by Alaska at number two. Third was Nebraska, followed by Wyoming, South Dakota, Maryland, Texas, Colorado, New Hampshire and, at number 10, Kansas.

Ranked number 11 through 20 were Virginia, Oklahoma, Georgia, Hawaii, Tennessee, Mississippi, Iowa, Alabama, Louisiana and Missouri.

California was ranked 39th on the list and the bottom five were Connecticut at number 46, followed by New Mexico, Michigan, New York and West Virginia.

Key Stats

Alaska has the longest hours worked per week, which is 12 percent longer than in Utah, the state with the shortest.

New York has the longest average commute time, which is 1.9 times longer than in South Dakota, the state with the shortest.

Mississippi has the highest share of workers leaving vacation time unused, which is 1.6 times higher than in Ohio, the state with the lowest.

Maine has the highest share of workers with multiple jobs, which is 2.5 times higher than in Florida, the state with the lowest.

“It’s undeniable that America has fostered a culture of hard work, with people working longer hours than residents of other developed countries and often leaving vacation time on the table. Working hard is commendable, but people in the hardest-working states may need to consider taking a break once in a while, as a lack of leisure time can have a negative impact on people’s physical and mental health,” said Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst. “North Dakota is the hardest-working state, in part because it has the highest employment rate in the country, at over 98 percent. Plus, workers ages 16 to 64 in North Dakota work an average of 39.7 hours per week, the third-most in the country. People in the Roughrider State have the second-lowest amount of leisure time per day, and 33.5 percent of workers leave some vacation time unused, the second-highest percentage.”

To view the full report and all state rankings, visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/hardest-working-states-in-america/52400

Expert Commentary

What impact do you believe AI will have on the American worker?

“I think it is still too early to determine what the full impacts will be. Early evidence suggests that AI will help a lot in boosting communication skills (think about ChatGPT’s ability to improve your writing), performing repetitive well-defined tasks (like some coding tasks) and in identifying relevant information (like using a patient’s symptoms to make a medical diagnosis based on past cases). Workers whose jobs require a lot of these tasks may find themselves shifting what they do at work, moving away from things that AI is good at. That could also mean that certain jobs that AI is really good at could become more scarce. But we also would expect that AI would introduce new job opportunities as well (prompt engineer, etc.), so it’s hard to say what the overall impact will be just yet.”

Christian vom Lehn – Associate Professor, Brigham Young University

Do you believe job conditions are on the rise in the U.S.? What measures should authorities undertake in order to better protect workers?

“Job conditions in the U.S. are indeed evolving, but whether they are on the rise is a matter of perspective. On one hand, there is a growing emphasis on creating safer work environments to reduce injuries, particularly in sectors like construction where hazards are inherent. This is coupled with the increasing adoption of technology, such as tele-health and telemedicine, which can expedite the recovery of injured employees and reduce associated costs. However, the rise of the gig economy, where workers traditionally lack workers’ compensation, presents new challenges. Additionally, there are concerns about legislation reducing workers’ compensation benefits, even as some states are extending benefits for issues like Covid infection and opioid addiction. To better protect workers, authorities should continue to enforce and refine regulations that ensure workplace safety. This includes holding employers accountable for providing safe and healthy work environments, as mandated by organizations like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In addition, authorities should address the changing nature of work by extending protections to gig workers and other non-traditional employees. This could involve reevaluating and updating workers’ compensation policies to reflect the realities of the modern workforce. Authorities should also leverage technology to improve worker protections. This could involve promoting the use of tele-health services in workers’ compensation or using digital tools to monitor and enforce workplace safety standards. Finally, authorities should consider measures to promote equality in the workplace, such as strengthening anti-discrimination laws and promoting equal pay for equal work. This is particularly important in light of the persistent gender pay gap and other forms of workplace inequality.”

Can Erbil – Professor of the Practice, Boston College

What are the main changes in the job market in 2024 and how will they impact employee engagement?

“I am going to answer as an organizational psychologist and not an economist! Organizations are still settling on hybrid work policies and are also continuing to edge towards gig, or non-fulltime, roles. Each of these can have negative impacts on employee engagement as we often lean into relationships with co-workers and a shared workspace as sources of connection to our jobs. However, positive employee engagement is a result of many factors with meaningful work being critical. Employers (and the employees themselves) should look to ensure that workers find identity and purpose in their work. Crafting jobs to take advantage of individuals’ skills and interests is one way to do this, as well as clarifying the impact of their work on external or internal customers.”

Dr. Kurt Kraiger – Chair and Professor, Department of Management, University of Memphis

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North Dakota

Presidential Searches at 3 North Dakota Colleges Narrowing

Published

12 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Presidential Searches at 3 North Dakota Colleges Narrowing

(Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – Two North Dakotans are semifinalists for the Bismarck State College president’s job as North Dakota State University narrows its presidential candidate list.

Valley City State University also is searching for a new president, with an application period closing this month..

Kevin Black, chair of the State Board of Higher Education and co-chair of the North Dakota State University Presidential Search Committee, said the committee reviewed over 60 applications. The committee is planning off-site interviews with candidates March 9-10 and campus visits with semifinal candidates March 23-27.

“We’re really excited about taking the next step and there’s some very quality people in there,” Black said.

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North Dakota

After falling short a year ago, West Fargo United wins ND girls hockey state title

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

After falling short a year ago, West Fargo United wins ND girls hockey state title

FARGO — One season ago, a Cinderella run for the West Fargo United girls hockey team came up just short in the state championship game.

United, the No. 7 seed, fell to Legacy/Bismarck in the 2025 final.

This time around, the team had momentum swaying in its favor, riding nine consecutive wins into Saturday’s title game against Grand Forks at Scheels Arena.

Led by goals from a pair of senior captains, United capped its redemption season with a 10th straight victory, fending off the KnightRiders 2-1 to claim the North Dakota girls hockey state tournament championship.

“It just means everything,” said United’s Payton Stocker, whose goal at the 12:31 mark of the second period gave her team a 1-0 lead. “We’ve worked so hard and throughout the season, it’s just been such a battle. Winning and coming out on top is just such a great feeling.”

West Fargo United captains react as they are presented the team’s 2026 state championship hockey trophy after defeating Grand Forks on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena in Fargo.

Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald

Stocker was followed up in scoring by United captain Rachel Spanier. The defenseman fired a slap shot from the left point that beat Grand Forks goaltender Kylie Schmaltz to make it 2-0 with 35 seconds remaining in the middle frame.

Reagan Wilson locked things down in net for United, finishing with 23 saves and picking up an all-tournament team nod.

“This is my first year of high school hockey,” the sophomore goaltender said. “I can’t believe coming in here and winning a state title with all of these girls. I just love them so much.”

While it was the senior duo of Stocker and Spanier finding the net for United on Saturday, contributions were seen across the board.

Sophomore Emma Hassler also put forth an all-tournament campaign with five goals and an assist for six points over the three-day stretch.

030226 WFGOUnited3.jpg — Grand Forks’ Dustee Balek’s shot is blocked by West Fargo United goalie Reagan Wilson in the North Dakota girls hockey state championship game on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

Freshman Kaylee Augdahl finished the tournament with four points — including

a double-overtime winner

over Fargo North/South in Friday’s semifinals — and junior Liana Williamson added three assists.

“It wasn’t just us (seniors),” said Stocker, who joined Hassler and Wilson on the all-tourney team. “It was everyone collectively. Being seniors, it feels a lot better. It was a great feeling.”

United, the No. 5 seed this year, capped its season with a record of 17-9-0.

“These girls are awesome,” first-year United head coach Kennedy Blair said. “They’ve worked super, super hard since last April. Wake up early in the mornings, go into off-ice training, on-ice training and all that.

“This group of girls is really special. They’re a really close-knit group, and they trusted our coaching staff coming in as a first-year group.”

030226 WFGOUnited2.jpg — West Fargo United players pose for the camera as they wait for the 2026 state championship hockey trophy after defeating Grand Forks on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

Blair knows a thing or two about winning championships. She was a North Dakota state champion goaltender with the former Bismarck Blizzard co-op and also won an NCAA Division I national title with the Wisconsin women’s program in 2021.

Yet, she never imagined ending her first year as a high school varsity coach with a state championship.

“No, I didn’t,” said Blair, who also won North Dakota High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors. “But I had belief in these girls that we could get to the state championship again.”

It’s the United co-op’s first-ever state title — which consists of West Fargo, West Fargo Sheyenne and West Fargo Horace high schools.

Prior to Saturday, the last time a West Fargo girls program won the state title was in 2014 when it was still a standalone program competing as the Packers.

“It’s amazing considering United hockey has never won a championship game,” Wilson said.

Grand Forks, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, ended its campaign with a 21-5-0 record.

Ella Yahna’s fourth goal of the tournament — which came on a 2-on-1 rush with the assist from teammate Reese Meagher, put the KnightRiders within one shot with 8:17 remaining in the third.

Grand Forks, however, was unable to find the equalizer as its bid for a first state championship came up just short.

“I thought we came out in the first and we had a tough time,” Grand Forks head coach Kelly Kilgore said. “I felt we battled some nerves. I really liked our second period … We carried the play and tilted the ice a little bit back in our favor. The shots kind of started to really turn in our favor.”

Stocker said she wouldn’t have wanted to win a state title as a senior with any other group of teammates.

“(They mean) everything,” Stocker said. “We’re so tight and they’re all my friends. Leaving them is going to be hard. But they mean everything to me. We’re all so close and I love them a lot.”

FIRST PERIOD: No scoring.

SECOND PERIOD: 1, WFU, Stocker (Augdahl, Hassler), 12:31. 2, WFU, Spanier (Augdahl, Stocker), 16:25.

THIRD PERIOD: 3, GF, Yahna (R. Meagher), 8:43.

SAVES: WFU, Wilson 7-13-3—23. GF, Schmaltz 7-3-14—24.

030226 KnightRiders2.jpg — Grand Forks’ Reese Meagher skates past West Fargo United’s Reaghen Mathias in the first period of the North Dakota girls hockey state championship game on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

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North Dakota

$2 million anonymous donor to Grand Forks Children’s Museum is revealed

Published

2 days ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

GRAND FORKS — The Grand Forks Children’s Museum has revealed the anonymous donor of the $2 million in matching funds that prompted others to step forward and bring the fundraising campaign closer to its goal of $35 million.

“It is with deep gratitude that the Grand Forks Children’s Museum now shares the name behind that bold vision,” said Katie Mayer, executive director of the museum, in naming Pam Laffen of Grand Forks as the anonymous donor.

With this gift and other major contributions, the fundraising campaign “stands at just $1.75 million remaining, bringing the finish line clearly into view,” Mayer said.

The museum “reflects Pam’s passion for learning and her belief in creating meaningful opportunities for children which have guided her life’s work and are deeply reflected in this gift,” she said.

Laffen said, “I am honored to be part of a community that supports a project dedicated to encouraging growth in education and service for future generations.”

Recognizing the impact of Laffen’s gift, Mayer said, “Pam and her late husband, Lonnie, shared a deep appreciation for this community. Being raised in a rural area in North Dakota taught them to be actively engaged in their immediate and surrounding communities across the state.”

Members of the Grand Forks Children’s Museum Staff and Fundraising Team are (back row, from left) Alyssa Donacki, Diane Martinson, Ashley Stroble, Katie Mayer, Pam Laffen, Betsey Aasen and Kim Woods and (in front) Maura Tanabe (left) and Sally Miskavige.

Contributed / Grand Forks Children’s Museum

At the start of the “Unlocking Tomorrow, Together Challenge,” the $2 million would be released, or “unlocked,” with the receipt of each of eight $250,000 donations. The challenge actually resulted in “securing nearly 10 leadership-level commitments and accelerating the campaign even further,” Mayer said.

A leadership gift of $250,000 from the Pancratz Family Foundation, based with the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation, has helped to “unlock one of the final keys in the challenge,” according to an announcement from the museum. The gift has added “meaningful momentum at a pivotal time in the campaign.”

The foundation’s commitment to the museum “reflects a strong belief in expanding opportunity for children and families, and helped carry the challenge to completion.”

The final keys to the $2 million matching grant were “propelled by an extraordinary wave of generosity from families and businesses across our community,” Mayer said.

A vertical climber, to be named for Pam Laffen, is designed to physically and symbolically connect the land and sky levels of the museum, Mayer said. It will span two stories and include a slide. Designed to face 42nd Street, it will be visible from the road, serving as a signature feature of the building.

The climber will reflect the guiding phrase “In land, we root. Through sky, we rise. Together, we grow.”

“The words echo both the spirit of the community and the belief that learning, curiosity, exploration and opportunity are built step-by-step, grounded in place and lifted by possibility,” Mayer said.