July 19, 2019

Indiana Unemployment Rate Improves For First Time Since 2017

Original story from   IPBS-RJC

Article origination IPBS-RJC
Indiana’s unemployment rate improved in June for the first time in a year and a half. - Brandon Smith/IPB News

Indiana’s unemployment rate improved in June for the first time in a year and a half.

Brandon Smith/IPB News

Indiana’s unemployment rate improved last month for the first time in a year and a half.

The Indiana unemployment rate improved by 0.1 percentage points to 3.5% in June. That’s the first time it’s gone down since December 2017.

Employment levels in the state’s private sector also rebounded in June – 6,800 jobs were added, led by a surge in the private educational and health services sector.

Yet there is a troubling sign in the data. The labor force is a measure that counts both people with a job and those actively looking for one. So, growth in the labor force is viewed as a sign of optimism in the economy.

But Indiana’s labor force got worse in June, for the second straight month. It had been on 27-month streak of growth before that.

Support independent journalism today. You rely on WFYI to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Donate to power our nonprofit reporting today. Give now.

 

Related News

Debate continues over move to make it illegal to sleep on public property
Indy leaders celebrate road funding bill headed for Gov. Braun's desk
An Indiana Girl Scout's push to repeal the 'period tax' might be thwarted by a tight budget