Indiana Unemployment Remains Steady In Sept., SEI Rates See Improvement

By Travis Thayer (Indianapolis, Ind.) – Indiana’s unemployment rate remained unchanged in September as the number of employed Hoosiers continues to grow. The statewide jobless rate stayed at 4.5 percent last month, which is below the national average of 5.0 percent. Indiana’s unemployment rate has remained steady at 4.5 percent in August and 4.6 percent in July. Southeast Indiana experienced a positive turnaround in September compared to August when all five of our region’s counties experience increases in their unemployment rates. Last month, all five counties saw a decrease in their unemployment rates. Franklin County was the lowest at 3.8 percent unemployment in September, down from 4.1 percent in the same month last year. Dearborn County’s 4.4 percent unemployment rate remained unchanged from September 2015, but is down from 4.7 percent this past August. Statewide, Hoosier businesses added more than 10,000 jobs last month. The state has added 75,566 since January of this year. The Hoosier labor force has increased by nearly 200,000 since January 2013. Steven J. Braun, Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, notes that private sector employment stands at 42,100 above the March 2000 peak, which is the 15th-consecutive month above that peak. “It’s been a strong year for the Hoosier workforce, as evidenced by Indiana’s low unemployment rate and private sector employment increasing by more than 10,000 in September,” said Braun. “There are still thousands of good-paying positions available for unemployed Hoosiers and help is available at local WorkOne career centers for anyone seeking the right skills to match in-demand jobs.” Indiana’s labor force now has more than 3.361 million and the number of people with a job is at 3.221 million Indiana Governor Mike Pence issued a statement on Friday regarding the state’s strong employment numbers. “We have worked diligently in Indiana to maintain a business climate that encourages job creation and economic growth,” said Pence. “This means keeping taxes low, holding regulations to a minimum and supporting policies designed to sustain rather than drain businesses and entrepreneurs. We are grateful to every company that chooses to start or expand operations here, and we are thankful for a Hoosier workforce that is second to none. The number from the September employment report demonstrate once again that we have the right strategies in Indiana for a state that works.” Indiana’s 4.5 percent unemployment rate in the month of September is the lowest of any neighboring states. The next closest is Michigan at 4.6 percent followed by Ohio at 4.7 percent and Kentucky at 4.9 percent. Illinois had the highest unemployment rate at 5.5 percent. Southeast Indiana Unemployment Figures  COUNTY SEPT. 2016 AUGUST 2016 SEPT. 2015  Dearborn  4.4%  4.7%  4.4%  Franklin  3.8%  4.2%  4.1%  Ohio  4.8%  4.9%  4.7%  Ripley  3.9%  4.5%  4.2%  Switzerland  4.7%  5.3%  4.4%  Indiana (seasonally adjusted)  4.5%  4.5%  4.5%    Source: Indiana Department of Workforce Development