Workers have been leaving the labor force for much of the post-2009 economic recovery.
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The US unemployment rate was 5 percent in October, down from 5.1 percent in September and 5.7 percent October 2014.
IN and OH were tied last month for the lowest unemployment rate in the Midwest.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits slipped 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 271,000 for the week ended November 14, the Labor Department said on Thursday. But they can also drop if a few unemployed become discouraged and stop looking for work, or because they go back to school to learn new skills.
IN has added 90,000 jobs since January 2013.
The October unemployment numbers for the Triangle and other localities across the state are scheduled to be released December 7. That’s an increase from the 64.1 percent recorded in the previous four months. Both were typical season declines.
The Orlando area gained 43,000 new jobs over the past 12 months, the highest number of jobs for all the state’s metro areas – a position the region has held for the last three years running. The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in California (+41,200), Florida (+35,200), and OH (+30,800). Most of the gains were in specialty trade contractors (+7,200). Expansions in health care and social assistance (+6,200) more than offset the losses in educational services (-800).
Professional and business services accounted for 140,800 jobs last month, just 100 below the peak in September and an increase of 4,400 jobs in the past year. Employment in leisure and hospitality rose 3,200. Texas had the only significant over-the-month rate increase (+0.2 percentage point).
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The number of manufacturing jobs in Arkansas continues to decline.
