Workforce office assisting displaced workers from St. Vincent/Ascension, Catalent; state’s rate is below national figure of 3.7%
Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
Seventeen states, including Indiana, had unemployment rates lower than the national figure of 3.7% according to the Labor Market Review for October.
Indiana’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 3%, compared with the US rate of 3.7%. Indiana’s nonseasonally adjusted rate was 2.8%. Indiana is faring better than its neighboring states such as Illinois (4.6%), Kentucky (3.9%) and Ohio (4.2%).
In the eight-county Radius Indiana region, three counties posted jobless rates of 3% or greater – Lawrence (3.2%), Orange (3.2%), Greene, (3.1%)
Counties with lower rates of unemployment were Daviess (2.2%), Dubois (2.3%), Martin and Washington (2.5%) and Crawford (2.9%).
Robert King, executive director of the South Central Region 8 Workforce Board, said rates of 3% and below are pretty good, especially considering many workers quit jobs during COVID and did not return to the workforce.
“In the past, Lawrence and Orange counties have experienced higher rates due to the change in business climate. At one time, these areas thrived with many manufacturing businesses and over the past several years, we have seen quite a few businesses move or close. Bringing new businesses to these areas has been a challenge we continue to address throughout the region,” King said.
The top industries in Region 8 needing workers, King said, include Healthcare, Manufacturing, Life Sciences, Transportation and IT. There is also a need for workers in the Accommodation & Food Services industry.
“Many companies are struggling to fill open positions and this includes retaining their current staff,” King said. “We are seeing much higher turnover rates across the board as employees have many options available to them and can move to jobs with better wages.”
Although there were no notices of closures in the October report, King said the workforce staff is assisting with the St. Vincent/Ascension hospital closure in Bedford and the layoffs of 400 just announced at Catalent in Bloomington. The hospital’s final day of operation is Dec. 16.
“Due to the tremendous need for workers in Healthcare, we are confident that many of the dislocated workers from St. Vincent/Ascension will find employment with other healthcare providers such as IU Health and Greene County General Hospital,” King said. “Collaborations with these other facilities are already in process. As for Catalent, the current layoff announcement is due to the diminished need for COVID vaccines and therapies. The Life Sciences field overall remains strong in Monroe and Owen County.”
Job assistance
Industry sectors with the most unemployment benefit claims were manufacturing (23.4% of claims) and construction (17.7%).
The most in-demand jobs according to job listings were nurses, nurse assistants and social/human service assistants.
Those seeking employment can visit their local WorkOne office for job search assistance. The service is free. WorkOne staff will assess a person’s background and discuss employment and possible training opportunities. The state provides many training programs including welding, CNC, HVAC, CDL-A, and CCMA.
October 2022 county snapshots
Lawrence: With a labor force of 21,000 people, 678 people were unemployed and looking for work. Lawrence County’s October jobless rate of 3.2% was 12th highest in the state and more people were looking for work that month than in September, when the jobless rate was 2.4%.
Orange: A total of 261 people were looking for work out of a labor force of 8,200 people in Orange County. The jobless rate was 13th highest and increased from September when the rate was 2.5%.
Greene: Ranked 18th for unemployment, Greene has a labor force of 13,634. A total of 429 were unemployed and looking for work in October. In September, the county’s jobless rate was 2.5% and in October 2021, the rate was 2.9%.
Martin: A year ago, the county’s jobless rate was 1.7%. In September, the rate was 2% and climbed to 2.5% in October. With a workforce of 5,479, a total of 135 people were unemployed and looking for work.
Daviess: Despite low numbers of jobless claims in September and October 2021, Daviess County’s rate jumped to over 2% at 2.2% for the latest report. Jobless claims were filed by 362 people; the county’s workforce totals 16,446.
Dubois: Dubois also experienced a jump, reaching 2.3%. Its jobless rate was 1.7% in September and 1.6% in October 2021. The county’s workforce is estimated at 12,669 people; 496 were seeking jobs in October.
Crawford: A year ago, 117 people were unemployed; that number increased to 139 in October. The labor force is estimated to be 4,796.
Washington: With a labor force of 14,033, Washington County saw its rate jump to 2.5% in October. The previous month, the rate was 1.9%.