Unemployment ticks up for December
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Indiana’s unemployment rate in December rose slightly to 3.1%, up from 3% the previous month. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development said Tuesday private sector employment decreased by 4,600 jobs last month.
With the drop in jobs, the state’s total private employment stands at 2,784,500. That number is still 54,200 higher than the same period the previous year.
Despite the drop, Indiana saw gains in the trade, transportation and utilities; manufacturing; construction; and financial activities sectors, according to state officials.
The state’s labor force participation rate held steady at 63.2% in December and remains above the national rate of 62.3%. The labor force, which includes residents who are employed or seeking employment, stands at 3,398,409, up nearly 3,400 from the previous month.
The DWD says the state has 128,198 open job postings as of Jan. 17, while 21,773 people in Indiana received unemployment benefits in December.
The state’s unemployment rate remains below the national rate, which fell two-tenths of a percent to 3.5%.