Indiana’s unemployment rate fell in March to its lowest level in five months. But the state’s private sector also lost jobs.
The Hoosier unemployment rate fell one-tenth of a percent to 5.8-percent in March, the second month in a row the rate went down. But it's still three-tenths of a percent higher than the national average of 5.5-percent.
But that drop may not be good news: the state’s private sector lost 800 jobs last month, fueled by huge losses – more than 5,000 – in the professional and business services sector.
And so despite that decrease, the unemployment rate still went down because of a drop in what’s called the labor force participation rate, meaning fewer Hoosiers report looking for a job. Department of Workforce Development Commissioner Steve Braun says Indiana economic indicators remain largely positive and notes the state’s labor force participation has been above the national average for a year.
