Sluggish hiring closes out frustrating year for job seekers, but unemployment slips to 4.4%
Economists were encouraged by the lower unemployment rate, which had risen in the previous four straight reports.
Unemployment
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2022 Year in Review: A year of ups, downs and uncertainty
The stock market dropped in 2022. So did the unemployment rate. Except in Indiana, where in both cases, the numbers crept up.
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IBJ Podcast: Indiana’s workforce leader talks unemployment, labor markets and minimum wage
Host Mason King talks with Fred Payne, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, about what the state is doing to help more Hoosiers find jobs and more companies find workers.
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The pandemic: One crisis, countless journeys
The pandemic hit Indiana one year ago, packing an emotional and financial wallop. Read the stories of 11 Hoosiers to see how they have navigated the choppy waters in business, in life and in loss.
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Indiana ‘missed big’ by not adopting work share, report says
Researchers who have studied work-share programs—which have been implemented in 28 states—say thousands of Indiana workers have been unnecessarily laid off.
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Articles
Slightly more Americans filed for jobless benefits in last week of 2025, but layoffs remained low
The Labor Department reported that businesses posted far fewer jobs in November than the previous month, a sign that employers aren’t yet ramping up hiring even as growth has picked up.
December interest rate cut was a close call for some Fed officials, minutes show
The minutes showed that even some Fed officials who supported the rate cut did so with reservations, with some saying they wanted to wait for more data before making any further moves.
Unemployment claims fall again, remain at historically healthy level
However, since March, job creation has fallen to an average 35,000 a month, compared to 71,000 in the year ended in March.
US jobless claim applications fell by 13,000 last week as layoffs remained low
The November job gains were higher than the 40,000 economists had forecast.
Filings for jobless benefits fall to 191K, lowest since September 2022
For now, the U.S. job market appears stuck in a “low-hire, low-fire” state that has kept the unemployment rate historically low.
List of large companies making layoffs continues to grow
Sizable layoffs have continued to pile up—raising worker anxieties across sectors. Here are some of the largest job cuts announced recently:
Uncertainty over economy, tariffs causes some retailers to be cautious about holiday hiring
Retailers’ hiring plans mark the first clues to what’s in store for the U.S. holiday shopping season and come as the U.S. job market has lost momentum.
Hiring stalls, with companies reluctant to expand in uncertain economic landscape
The weak numbers make it all but certain that Federal Reserve will cut its benchmark interest rate at its next meeting.
Hiring slows sharply as Trump advances aggressive trade agenda
U.S. markets recoiled at the jobs report and the Dow Jones industrial average tumbled more than 600 points at the opening bell Friday.
Labor market continues to surprise and unemployment rate falls
June numbers were surprisingly strong. Health care jobs increased by 39,000. State governments added 47,000 workers and local governments 33,000.
Unemployment among young college graduates outpaces overall joblessness rate
The unemployment rate for degree holders ages 22 to 27 has reached its highest level in a dozen years, excluding the pandemic. Joblessness among that group is higher than the overall unemployment rate, and the gap is larger than it’s been in more than three decades.
Number of Americans filing for jobless benefits hits 8-month high
Tuesday’s report showed that the number of Americans quitting their jobs—a sign of confidence in their prospects—fell, while layoffs ticked higher.
Supreme Court sides with Catholic Charities in religious-rights case over unemployment taxes
Wisconsin argues the organization doesn’t qualify for an exemption because its day-to-day work doesn’t involve religious teachings.
American labor market shows resilience with rise in job openings
The Labor Department reported Tuesday that employers posted 7.4 million job vacancies in April, up from 7.2 million in March.
Employers add better-than-expected 177,000 jobs as job market shows resilience
Hiring came in above economists’ expectations and the unemployment rate remained unchanged, the Labor Department reported Friday.
US economy added 151K jobs in February amid warnings of weak springtime labor market
The data was collected the second week of February, when Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency was beginning to cut agency workforces and federal contracts and grants were frozen or cut.
Number of Americans filing for jobless benefits falls as labor market remains sturdy
The unemployment rate ticked down to an even 4%, signaling a still very healthy labor market.
Braun executive orders seek to limit misuse of unemployment benefits
For eligible Hoosiers on unemployment, Gov. Mike Braun said he wants the state’s unemployment program to provide more job assistance support and become a “springboard” for opportunity.
Slightly more Americans apply for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs remain relatively low
Some analysts say they expect layoffs ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency to show up in the report in the coming weeks.