The pace of Indiana’s steadily improving unemployment rate slowed considerably in September. Meanwhile, the state’s labor force participation rate and private employment numbers dropped.
More than 10 million Americans will lose their employer-sponsored health insurance this year as a result of a pandemic-related job loss in their household.
The September jobs report coincides with other data that suggests that while the economic picture may be improving, the gains have slowed since summer.
Fewer Americans than expected sought unemployment benefits last week. The latest claims numbers reflect gradual labor-market improvement but remain well above pre-virus levels.
Thursday’s labor report coincides with evidence that some newly laid-off Americans are facing delays in receiving unemployment benefits as state agencies intensify efforts to combat fraudulent applications
The latest employment numbers from the state also reversed two troubling indicators from July’s report: a significant decrease in the state’s labor force and in its labor-force participation rate.
A total of 162,009 people were receiving unemployment benefits in Indiana as of Sept. 5, the Labor Department said Thursday morning. That was up from 158,742 the previous week.
Indiana Department of Workforce Development chief of staff Josh Richardson said the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund is expected to run dry by the end of September.
The nation’s unemployment safety net is looking increasingly shaky, with a $300-a-week federal jobless benefit from the Trump administration close to running out just weeks after it began.
Unemployed Hoosiers can expect to start seeing the federal supplemental weekly benefit in about two weeks, state officials said Wednesday.
The U.S. economy has recovered about half of the 22 million jobs lost to the pandemic.
In Indiana, 10,783 people filed initial unemployment claims in the week ended Aug. 29, up from an adjusted number of 10,597 the previous week
A total of 169,336 people were receiving unemployment benefits in Indiana as of Aug. 15, the Labor Department said Thursday. That was down from 183,083 the previous week.
The unemployment rate in Indiana rebounded dramatically in July, although the positive economic indicator was undermined by a drop in the state’s labor force.
The number of laid-off workers seeking U.S. unemployment benefits rose to 1.1 million last week after two weeks of declines.
Indiana has applied for the federal government’s Lost Wages Assistance program and hopes to begin delivering the $300 supplemental weekly payments to most people receiving unemployment benefits within two to four weeks of FEMA approval.
Claims fell nationally, but the U.S. Labor Department’s report Thursday marked the 20th straight week that at least 1 million people have sought jobless aid.
Enhanced unemployment benefits are expiring at the end of this week for millions of Americans.
Private sector employment increased as employees returned to work in the hospitality and manufacturing sectors, as well as in educational and health services.
Housing advocates are warning of a tidal wave of evictions in the state this summer unless an effort is coordinated to head it off.
