WASHINGTON: Indiana’s unemployment rate rose for the second straight month in April, while Illinois’ increased for the sixth straight month. Joblessness in the Hoosier state climbed 0.2 percent to 5.2 percent in April, after rising 0.1 percent in March, which state officials say is due largely to 20,743 more job seekers entering the workforce.
Indiana is now tied with Ohio for the second worst jobless rate out of the 12 Midwestern states, after only Illinois, which is tied with Alaska for the highest unemployment rate nationally at 6.6 percent. Indiana has the 30th highest jobless rate nationally, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“More than 80,000 Hoosiers joined the workforce in the last four months, which doubles Indiana’s labor force growth for all of 2015,” said Steven Braun, Indiana Department of Workforce Development commissioner. “Correspondingly, nearly 60,000 more Hoosiers joined the employed ranks in 2016. This suggests Hoosiers are increasingly confident in finding gainful employment.”
Illinois added a net of 5,400 jobs in April, including 7,600 in professional and business services, but also saw its unemployment rate rise because of a larger workforce, which is the number of people who are either employed or actively seeking work.
“Illinois’ growth continues to lag the rest of the country, and is one of only three states that have not regained its peak employment,” said Sean McCarthy, Illinois Department of Commerce directord. “If Illinois had kept pace with national growth, our state would have added another quarter million jobs for hardworking Illinois families. Instead, unemployment in Illinois rose for the sixth month in a row.”
