Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana's non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for October is 4.3 percent, seven-tenths of a percentage point below the national rate of 5.0 percent, Craig E. Hartzer, commissioner for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, announced in December. The number of Hoosiers employed during October was 2,995,600.
The unemployment rate in Kosciusko County for October was 4.1 percent with 1,620 unemployed out of a labor force of 39,600. The county ranks 57th out of 92 counties.
Indiana's October unemployment rate was lower than Illinois' 5.0 percent; Kentucky, 4.0 percent; and Michigan, 4.7 percent. Only Ohio was lower at 4.1 percent.
The monthly survey of 7,500 Hoosier employers reports payroll employment at 2,991,800, a decrease of 49,300 from one year ago and 9,500 less than last month. Payroll employment is an estimate of non-agricultural jobs in Indiana businesses. It differs from labor force employment, which is used in the calculation of the unemployment rate by not including the self-employed and agricultural workers. In addition, payroll employment includes all those who work in Indiana, while the unemployment rate is calculated by those who live in Indiana.
Manufacturing employment totaled 649,600 in October, a decrease of 33,800 from last year. Motor vehicle manufacturing accounts for 93,300 jobs, 7,900 less than one year ago. Manufacturing of motor vehicle parts totals 59,800. Industrial machinery manufacturing in October accounts for 69,100 Hoosier jobs, 600 less than September.
Construction employment totaled 157,200, a decrease of 900 from last month. Of that, heavy construction reported 19,300 jobs, a decrease of 100 from September.
Service-producing employment totaled 2,179,000 in October, 13,600 less than last year. Transportation and public utilities totaled 145,300, 2,700 less than September.
Retail trade totaled 559,600, 5,400 less than a year ago. Of that, general merchandise stores reported employment of 84,100, or 2,000 less than last year. Service sector employment, such as business services, computer and data processing, totaled 763,100 in October, which is 2,500 less than the previous year.
There was an increase in the number of regular unemployment insurance claims filed during the week ending Dec. 8.
A total of 83,571 unemployment claims were filed that week, an increase of 3,588 from the preceding week. In the same week one year ago, 49,130 unemployment claims were filed.
Layoffs were reported in two steel works plants, one boat building plant and one mobile home plant during the week.
