After three months of stasis, Indiana unemployment rate dips to 4%
An estimated 134,842 Hoosiers are currently unemployed and seeking jobs, the state reported Friday. That’s down from 137,857 in July.
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U.S. unemployment claims fall to new pandemic low of 290,000
Unemployment claims are increasingly returning to normal, but many other aspects of the job market haven’t yet done so. Hiring has slowed in the past two months, even as companies and other employers have posted a near-record number of open jobs.
Americans quit their jobs at a record pace in August
The Labor Department said that quits jumped to 4.3 million in August, the highest on records dating back to December 2000, and up from 4 million in July.
Puzzle overhanging job market: When will more people return?
To an extent that has surprised economists, many people who lost or quit their jobs during the pandemic recession have yet to look for work again despite a robust economic rebound that has left many employers desperate to hire.
Indiana hopes its free online lab will be hub for professional development
Backed with millions of dollars in funding, Keep Indiana Learning is partnering with the Indiana Department of Education as part of a statewide initiative to provide a central hub for teacher professional development: The Indiana Learning Lab.
County jail manager to cease operations, lay off 143 workers at end of year
Marion County Jail II manager CoreCivic is not eligible to operate at the new Criminal Justice Center because the Indianapolis City-County Council passed an ordinance in 2018 to prohibit private jail managers at the center.
Another record for U.S. job openings: 10.9 million in July
Nearly 4 million people quit their jobs, just shy of a record set in April, and up from 3.9 million in June. That suggests many Americans are confident enough in their prospects to seek something new.
Companies loosen job requirements, but challenges remain
In a desperation for hired hands, companies have loosened hiring restrictions on everything from age to level of experience. The changing standards may have helped boost hiring this summer, even as many companies complained they couldn’t find all the workers they need.
U.S. job openings hit record 10.1 million
The gap between openings and hiring suggests that firms are scrambling to find workers. Lingering health fears, difficulty getting child care at a time and expanded federal jobless aid may have kept some unemployed Americans from seeking work.
U.S. added 943,000 jobs in July in bigger-than-expected hiring surge
The unemployment rate dropped to 5.4% in another sign that the U.S. economy continues to bounce back with surprising vigor from last year’s coronavirus shutdown.
Youth-focused minority leadership group launches $33M campaign
The Center for Leadership Development’s campaign aims to raise funding for a series of new satellite locations and a 20,000-square-foot building expansion to support a planned 63% increase in program capacity.
Not-for-profit promoting tech careers for women hires executive director
Melissa Jacobs cited her background in corporate sponsorship as an opportunity to grow the group’s corporate funding and develop partnerships with local organizations.
Worker pay rises as businesses fight to fill jobs
In the year ending in June, wages and salaries jumped 3.5% for workers in the private sector, the largest increase in more than 14 years. That increase was driven by sharp rise in pay for restaurant and hotel workers of more than 6%.
Can Biden’s plans manufacture more U.S. factory jobs?
Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump each said their policies would save manufacturing jobs, yet none of them broke the long-term trend in a lasting way.
Indiana unemployment in holding pattern above pre-pandemic rate
Indiana’s unemployment rate has been hovering at or near 4% for the last sixth months. It was 3.3% in March 2020, just before the pandemic triggered wide-scale layoffs and job losses.
The hottest job in a hot market: Diversity officer
The number of employees dedicated solely to diversity, equity and inclusion work has been growing for years in the United States, but has taken off since a racial-equity movement escalated in spring 2020 with the police murder of George Floyd.
As companies scramble to hire, workers enjoy upper hand
There are signs that people are re-evaluating their work and personal lives and aren’t necessarily interested in returning to their old jobs, particularly those that offer modest wages.
U.S. jobless claims tick down to 411,000 as pandemic fades
The Labor Department said Thursday that jobless claims declined by 7,000 from the previous week, to 411,000. The number of weekly applications for unemployment aid has fallen steadily this year, from about 900,000 in January.
State pours $75M into novel career training fund
The Indiana Career Accelerator Fund will award financial aid to qualified students to use for training in high-demand, high-wage sectors that leads to an industry credential in six months or less.
The 7 industries most desperate for workers
Sawmills, veterinary clinics and psychologists’ offices are among the businesses gripped by escalating worker shortages, as employers in a few pockets of the economy step up competition for workers and sharply increase wages.