INDIANAPOLIS (September 18, 2009) - Indiana's unemployment rate decreased 0.7 percent in August the Indiana Department of Workforce Development reported today.Indiana's preliminary seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in August was 9.9 percent.

"Decreases in unemployment are always welcome news. We hope it's a trend but data from two key factors used to determine employment levels - surveys of individual households and business payroll - appear to contradict each other," said Teresa Voors, Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. "The next few months should provide evidence of a trend or a one-month survey anomaly."

Indiana's monthly survey of individual households showed 24,000 fewer unemployed Hoosiers; however, a separate survey of business payroll reported 21,000 fewer jobs. Traditionally, one would not expect to see a drop in unemployment and jobs. A decrease in jobs would lead to an increase in unemployment or visa versa.

Indiana's neighboring states reported smaller monthly changes in unemployment. The unemployment rate in Illinois dropped 0.4 percent to 10.0 percent. Ohio's unemployment rate also decreased 0.4 percent to 10.8 percent. Kentucky remained flat at 11.1 percent. Michigan increased 0.2 percent to 15.2 percent.

The decrease of 0.7 percent from July marks the largest decrease in unemployment month-to-month since a 2.1 percent decline from June to July in 1993. The national unemployment rate increased in August 0.3 percent to 9.7 percent.

The state's seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate peaked at 12.8 percent in November 1982. Indiana's unemployment rate stood at 6.0 percent in August 2008.

EDITORS NOTE: Due to Columbus Day, the September 2009 employment report will be released on Wednesday, October 21, 2009.

Links to the data used to compile the monthly employment report are listed below:

August 2009 Indiana Employment Report