BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The number of lawsuits by employees in Idaho claiming they were denied overtime compensation has jumped in the last three and a half years.

    The Idaho Statesman reports that 44 such lawsuits have been filed during that period when the state’s unemployment rate climbed to as high as 8.9 percent.

    That’s up from the 28 lawsuits filed in the previous three and a half years.

    The number of such lawsuits nationally has also gone up, with about 7,000 filed alleging violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act in the 12-month span that ended in spring 2011.

    About 5,300 were filed nationally three years earlier.

    Attorneys representing both sides in wage-hour cases say the increase in lawsuits could be due to the tough economy.