 March Indiana
Employment Report
INDIANAPOLIS (April 21, 2017) – Indiana’s unemployment rate stands at 3.9 percent for March and remains lower than the national rate of 4.5 percent. 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 6,093 over the previous month with a 12,322 increase in employment and a 6,229 decrease in unemployment. Indiana’s
total labor force stands at more than 3.32 million, and the state’s 64.5 percent labor
force participation rate remains above the national rate of 63.0 percent.
“Indiana's unemployment rate continues to drop, and the 3.9 percent rate for March is the lowest it's been since 2001," said Steven J. Braun, Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD). "While this is a positive economic indicator, there are thousands of good-paying jobs currently available in Indiana that require in-demand skills. Fortunately, our local WorkOne Career Centers can help unemployed and underemployed Hoosiers with training programs, interview coaching, veteran services and more."
Commissioner Braun also noted private sector employment has grown by more than 39,300
over the year. He added that weekly unemployment insurance claims remain at the lowest
point in three decades.
Employment by Sector
Indiana experienced a loss of 1,500 private sector jobs over the month, primarily due to losses in the Professional & Business Services (-4,400) and Construction (-1,400) sectors. Losses were partially offset by gains in the Trade, Transportation & Utilities (2,400) and Private Educational & Health Services (1,500) sectors. Total private employment stands at 2,684,300 and is 7,400 above the November 2016 peak.
Midwest Unemployment Rates
EDITOR’S
NOTES:
Data are sourced from March Current Employment Statistics,
Local Area Unemployment Statistics – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
March employment data for Indiana Counties, Cities and MSA’s
will be available Monday, April 24, 2017 at 12:00 p.m. (EDT) pending U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics validation.
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Headshot of DWD Commissioner Steve Braun
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