For immediate release: Mar 28, 2008
Posted by: [DWD]
Contact: Joe DiLaura
Phone: 317-232-3396
Email: jdilaura@dwd.in.gov

February 2008 Indiana Employment Report

February 2008 Indiana Employment Report

 

INDIANAPOLIS (March 28, 2008) - Indiana's unemployment rate was relatively unchanged in

February, increasing one tenth of one percentage point to 4.6 percent, and remains the lowest in the six-

state Midwest region and below the national rate, according to the monthly employment report released

today by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.   The state's 4.6 percent rate is two-tenths

of a percentage point below the national 4.8 percent rate.

 

Employment Report Highlights (Local Area Unemployment Statistics - LAUS)

Seasonally Adjusted.  According to the monthly LAUS survey, the number of people estimated to be employed in Indiana decreased slightly, 0.1 percent, from 3,079,213 in January to 3,077,045 in February.  The number estimated to be unemployed increased to 148,078, up from 144,182 in January. One year ago, the number of unemployed stood at 155,289 and the state's unemployment rate was 4.8 percent.   

 

The February rates reported for the six-state Midwest region were Illinois at 5.5 percent, Kentucky at 5.2 percent, Michigan at 7.2 percent, Ohio at 5.3 percent and Wisconsin at 4.9 percent.    

 

Non-Seasonally Adjusted. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, Indiana's unemployment rate increased from 5.1 percent in January to 5.2 percent in February. Nationally, the rate decreased from 5.4 in January to 5.2 percent. Other Midwestern states' non-seasonally adjusted rates for February were Illinois at 6.0 percent, Kentucky at 6.2 percent, Michigan at 7.8 percent, Ohio at 6.0 percent and Wisconsin at 5.8 percent.

 

      Jobs Report Highlights (Current Employment Statistics - CES)

February total non-farm employment in the state decreased 9,600 from January, but is up 11,300 from one year ago, and up 43,000 from January 2005, according to the monthly payroll survey. Total employment was estimated to be 2,985,200.  The construction industry accounted for approximately 4,500 of the decline in jobs, as inclement weather throughout the month slowed construction activity.

 

The top three Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) with the greatest rate of growth in jobs over the year are Indianapolis-Carmel, up 1.7 percent, Michigan City, up 1.5 percent and Bloomington, up 1.3 percent.

 

The Department recommends looking at these employment trends and data on a long-term basis.

 

Data Links.  Here are links to the data that comprise the monthly employment report:

 

Employment Report (LAUS)

 

Jobs Report (CES)

·         Detail Employment Listing - Statewide & MSAs

      Indiana, National Unemployment Rates - February 2008

 

Seasonally Adjusted

 

Feb. 2008

Jan. 2008

Feb. 2007

Indiana

 

 

 

Labor Force

3,225,123

3,223,395

3,223,478

Employed

3,077,045

3,079,213

3,068,189

Unemployed

   148,078

   144,182

   155,289

Rate

          4.6

          4.5

          4.8

U.S. Rate

          4.8

         4.9

                            4.5

Not Seasonally Adjusted

 

Feb. 2008

Jan. 2008

Feb. 2007

Indiana

 

 

 

Labor Force

3,190,190

                 3,191,526

                 3,195,908

Employed

3,022,923

                 3,029,716

                 3,026,478

Unemployed

   167,267

                    161,810

169,430

Rate

          5.2

                            5.1

       5.3

U.S. Rate

                       5.2          

                            5.4

       4.9

 

Non-Seasonally Adjusted Employment, by MSA

 

 

 

 

Month

 

Year

 

MSA

Feb-08

Jan-08

Feb-07

Change

% Chg

Change

% Chg

Anderson

40,000

39,900

40,900

100

0.30%

-900

-2.20%

Bloomington

84,000

82,700

82,900

1,300

1.60%

1,100

1.30%

Columbus

44,500

44,500

44,100

0

0.00%

400

0.90%

Elkhart-Goshen

126,500

127,200

127,000

-700

-0.60%

-500

-0.40%

Evansville

177,000

177,500

175,600

-500

 -0.30%

1,400

0.80%

Fort Wayne

213,900

213,800

215,000

100

0.00%

-1,100

-0.50%

Gary

278,000

277,100

276,500

900

0.30%

1,500

0.50%

Indianapolis-Carmel

905,100

904,000

890,300

1,100

0.10%

14,800

1.70%

Kokomo

45,300

45,300

45,900

0

0.00%

-600

-1.30%

Lafayette

94,400

94,700

94,300

-300

-0.30%

100

0.10%

Michigan City

46,400

46,500

45,700

-100

-0.20%

700

1.50%

Muncie

53,300

53,000

53,400

300

0.60%

-100

-0.20%

South Bend

143,400

143,100

141,900

300

0.20%

1,500

1.10%

Terre Haute

73,000

72,400

73,200

600

0.80%

-200

-0.30%

 

Note: the data for the Anderson, Columbus, Kokomo, and Michigan City MSA's are unofficial/non-BLS area estimates.  BLS funding for these areas was suspended for 2008 but Indiana will continue to estimate. 

 


Indiana Seasonally Adjusted Non-Farm Jobs - by Major Industry

INDUSTRY TITLE

Feb 2008

 

Jan 2008

Feb 2007

Over the month change 

Over the   year  change 

Total Nonfarm     

2985.2

2994.8

2973.9

-9.6

11.3

Total Private     

2548.9

2558.4

2545.2

-9.5

3.7

Goods Producing   

695.3

701.8

707.9

-6.5

-12.6

Service-Providing 

2289.9

2293.0

2266.0

-3.1

23.9

 Natural Res. & Mining

7.0

6.9

7.0

0.1

0.0

 Construction     

144.6

149.1

147.0

-4.5

-2.4

 Manufacturing    

543.7

545.8

553.9

-2.1

-10.2

 Trade, Transp, & Utilities

585.0

586.4

586.1

-1.4

-1.1

 Information      

40.8

40.7

39.9

0.1

0.9

 Financial Activities

138.2

138.3

139.3

-0.1

-1.1

 Profess. & Business Svcs.

288.4

289.7

286.4

-1.3

2.0

 Educ. & Health Services

404.8

405.4

389.9

-0.6

14.9

 Leisure & Hospitality

283.8

283.5

284.3

0.3

-0.5

 Other Services   

112.6

112.6

111.4

0.0

1.2

 Government        

436.3

436.4

428.7

-0.1

7.6

 

 

Midwest States Unemployment Rate Trend, Seasonally Adjusted

 

Feb '07

Jan '08

Feb '08

U.S.

4.5

4.9

4.8

Indiana

4.8

4.5

4.6

Illinois

4.8

5.6

5.5

Kentucky

5.7

5.2

5.2

Michigan

7.0

7.1

7.2

Ohio

5.5

5.5

5.3

Wisconsin

5.0

4.9

4.9

 

      The Indiana Department of Workforce Development is charged with continually improving the Hoosier workforce by assisting companies to create new jobs and improve employee skills. The agency offers a variety of training and educational grants, partners with Indiana's 35 WorkOne Centers and 50 WorkOne Express Centers, administers the unemployment insurance system, provides labor market information, assists employers with preparing workers for layoffs and closures and operates a statewide job placement service.

 

-30-

 

Note to News Media: The Department of Workforce Development's Labor Market Information Web

site, Hoosiers by the Numbers, now reflects the annual DOL Benchmarked revisions to both the Current

Employment Statistics (CES) and Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).  These revisions were

recently completed for each state, and typically result in minor adjustments to the numbers released

during 2007. The Hoosiers by the Numbers web site can be accessed here:

http://www.hoosierdata.in.gov/.

 

 


Technical notes for the news media

For additional information on this data, go to the Department's Labor Market Information web site, (http://www.hoosierdata.in.gov/). 

 

This report contains information from two surveys conducted in cooperation with the federal government about changes in the U.S. labor force.  Jobs statistics measure the number of positions (jobs) in U.S. businesses created or lost over a specified period of time, and come from government surveys of payroll records.  For this reason, these statistics do not capture information about changes in the number of self-employed persons, business owners, and farm workers.  Employment statistics come from surveys of U.S. households, and distinguish whether individuals in those households are working (employed) or not working (unemployed).  These statistics include the self-employed, business owners, and farm workers.  (Note: Individuals are counted as being employed only once, even if they hold more than one job.)  The unemployment rate is calculated from these statistics.

 

In calculating unemployment rates, two different types of numbers are provided. The first, known as the non-seasonally adjusted rate, estimates employment and unemployment without taking into account the effects of seasonal trends. In calculating the seasonally adjusted rate, or employment that follows more or less a regular pattern each year, holiday, summer and other types of seasonal employment is factored out of the estimate. These adjustments make it easier to observe the cyclical and other non-seasonal movements.

 

The state's unemployment rate is compiled in conjunction with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and is derived primarily from a national survey of about 60,000 households.  Of that number, approximately 1,000 Indiana households are polled each month.  It is conducted during the week of the 12th day of the month.  The labor force is calculated as the number of people 16 years and older who were either employed or were able and available to work.

 

The Department of Workforce Development believes that employment statistics are the best measure of the status of a state, regional, or local labor force, because it measures people working rather than positions created, and because it includes the self-employed (including business owners) and farm workers.

 

The next monthly employment report, for March 2008, is scheduled for release on April 18, 2008. 

 

Link to this event: http://www.in.gov/newsroom.htm?detailContent=10903_17213.htm

February 2008 Indiana Employment Report Mar 28, 2008