Although the state’s unemployment rate, was 0.2 higher than originally set in December 2015, state officials say the rate remains lower than the national average as well as neighboring states.
State officials say Indiana’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 4.6 percent in January.
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development says the state’s unemployment rate was 4.6 percent in January. That would have been up from 4.4 percent in December, however Due to the yearly federal benchmarking process, December’s unemployment rate was revised upward to 4.6 percent.
The Hoosier labor force gained more than 20,000 individuals in January. Indiana’s labor force growth over the year now stands at more than 51,000, and 116,700 added since January 2013. In January, the Hoosier labor force participation rate again exceed the national rate (64.2 percent vs. 62.7 percent).
Private sector employment gains in January occurred in the Leisure and Hospitality (+4,700), Financial Activities (+1,500) and Construction (+1,200) sectors. Gains were partially offset by contraction in the Professional and Business Services (-3,100), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-2,300), and Private Education & Health Services (-1,600) sectors. Indiana’s private sector grew by 43,500 jobs in 2016, and has added nearly 141,000 jobs over the past three years.
“Private sector employment in the Hoosier State has grown by nearly 141,000 over the past three years,” said Steven J. Braun, Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. “Additionally, Indiana continues to have an unemployment rate lower than all of our neighboring states.”
Braun also noted that claims for unemployment insurance in 2016 were at their lowest levels since 1998, and the number of unemployed Hoosiers has decreased by 43 percent over the past three years.
