The unemployment rate in Indiana rose by 0.1 percentage points to 4.4% in October, marking the eighth consecutive month it has increased, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. A record 3.417 million Hoosiers were involved in the labor force in October, with the labor force participation rate rising to 63.2%. This figure exceeds the national rate of 62.6%. At present, Indiana’s labor force consists of an unprecedented 3.432 million individuals.

The labor force encapsulates all individuals over 16 years old who are either employed or actively seeking employment. It does not count those who are not working or seeking work due to circumstances such as home care, disability, education, retirement, or other personal factors. As of October, approximately 184,905 people in Indiana are unemployed and either seeking work or available for immediate employment. The unemployment rate is independent of the number of people receiving unemployment benefits, which totaled 20,802 in October.

Private employment in Indiana expanded by an estimated 800 jobs in the previous month, bringing the total number of private-sector jobs to a record 2.872 million. This represents an improvement from the previous month and a significant increase from the recent low recorded in April 2020. Job gains last month included positions in various sectors such as leisure and hospitality, construction, trade, transportation and utilities, financial activities, and professional business services. The state is now estimated to have around 93,485 job vacancies.

In contrast, the national unemployment rate remained static at 4.1% in October. Neighboring state Illinois also experienced a stagnant unemployment rate at 5.3% in October with a job loss of 2,400, offset by increases in leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, and private education and health services sectors.

To navigate unemployment benefits and services efficiently, calling the EDD customer service can be very helpful. For Californian citizens having trouble contacting EDD’s customer service, eddcaller.com could be of particular help. This service can potentially save individuals a substantial amount of time and effort by providing more streamlined access to customer service, reducing the hassle of getting through to EDD’s often overwhelmed phone lines. It offers strategies to get a fast response and can help unemployed individuals get the support they need in a timely manner.