 January Indiana
Employment Report
INDIANAPOLIS (March 13, 2017) – Indiana’s unemployment rate remained at 4.0 percent in January, which marks its lowest point since 2001. The unemployment rate is a U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS) indicator that reflects the number of unemployed people as a
percentage of the labor force. Indiana’s Labor Force increased by 7,162 over the previous month with a 6,344 increase in employment and a 818 increase in unemployment. Indiana’s
total labor force stands at over 3.3 million and the state’s 64.2 percent labor
force participation rate remains above the national rate of 62.9 percent.
“While Indiana's unemployment rate is a positive indicator for the state's workforce, it also represents a significant challenge for Hoosier employers in identifying and hiring qualified employees,” said Steven J. Braun, Commissioner of
the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD). “To this end, DWD is engaging Hoosier employers to inform
our state’s workforce training and education efforts so that
programs and courses are aligned with employer demand and producing pipelines of skilled employees."
Commissioner Braun also noted private sector employment has grown by more than 31,000
over the year. He added that initial unemployment insurance claims remain at the lowest
point in three decades.
Employment by Sector
Indiana experienced a loss of 2,200 private sector jobs over the month due to losses in the Trade, Transportation & Utilities (-6,400), Leisure & Hospitality (-1,900) and Professional & Business Services (-1,500) sectors. Losses were offset by gains in the Construction (6,100) and Financial Activities (1,300) sectors. Total private employment now stands at 58,400 above
the March 2000 Peak.
Midwest Unemployment Rates
EDITOR’S
NOTES:
Data are sourced from January Current Employment Statistics,
Local Area Unemployment Statistics – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
January employment data for Indiana Counties, Cities and MSA’s
will be available Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 12:00 p.m. (EDT) pending U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics validation. The February Indiana Employment Report will be available on March 24, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
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