NDjobServiceBISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s employment agency says it is cutting 60 jobs and shuttering seven of its 16 offices in the state due to federal budget shortfalls.

Job Service North Dakota Director Cheri Giesen announced the cuts Thursday.

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.

Giessen says the cuts come as weekly unemployment insurance claims have jumped to record levels. Giesen says the rise is due to layoffs of seasonal workers and those who are losing jobs in the oil patch because of a drop in activity.

The two people who worked full-time in the Valley City office were told by Job Service employees Thursday that their jobs had been cut and the office is officially closed.

Job Service North Dakota will provide services in the Valley City office with staff members from the Fargo office the first and third Tuesday of each month from 9am to 12:30pm and 1pm to 4pm through April 2016.

Phone numbers will be provided and messaging will be installed on any JSND phones left active in the Valley City office through April 30th of 2016.

After April 30th, JSND will look for a no-cost community location like the library, city or county offices to provide services through June 30th of 2016.

Job Service offices in seven cities — Beulah, Grafton, Harvey, New Town, Oakes, Rolla and Valley City — lost their staff immediately Thursday.

Officials have said they are expected to see weekly unemployment insurance claims jump from 700 to 2,500 this month. The agency says the rise is due to layoffs of seasonal workers and those who are losing jobs in the oil patch because of a drop in activity.

he two people who worked full-time in the Valley City office were told by Job Service employees Thursday that their jobs had been cut and the office is officially closed.

Job Service North Dakota will provide services in the Valley City office with staff members from the Fargo office the first and third Tuesday of each month from 9am to 12:30pm and 1pm to 4pm through April 2016.

Phone numbers will be provided and messaging will be installed on any JSND phones left active in the Valley City office through April 30th of 2016.

After April 30th, JSND will look for a no-cost community location like the library, city or county offices to provide services through June 30th of 2016.

Officials have said they are expected to see weekly unemployment insurance claims jump from 700 to 2,500 this month. The agency says the rise is due to layoffs of seasonal workers and those who are losing jobs in the oil patch because of a drop in activity.