Bartholomew County unemployment fell for the second consecutive month in June, but still remains extraordinarily high by historical standards after the pandemic forced business earlier this year to close and lay off workers at levels not seen since the Great Depression.
In June, the county’ unemployment rate was 10.6%, down from 12.7% in May and 18.4% in April, according to figures released Monday by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
The statewide jobless rate was 11.2% in June, down from 11.9% in May and 17.1% in April. U.S. unemployment fell to 11.1% in June, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
A total of 2,088 Bartholomew County residents drew unemployment claims the week ending July 4, the latest data available — 87 fewer than the week before and roughly 58% lower than the peak of 5,039 the week ending May 2.
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The news came as the number of confirmed COVID-19 infections per day in the U.S. continued to soar, with cases rising in 40 states, including Indiana. Deaths are also increasing in 25 states and Puerto Rico.
The spike, centered primarily in the South and West, has led states such as California, Texas, Arizona and Florida to re-close or otherwise clamp down again on bars, restaurants, movie theaters, beaches and swimming pools, throwing some workers out of a job for a second time.
Last week, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb continued to pause a plan to reopen the state’s economy as the number of hospitalizations in the state, as well as the percentage of tests coming back positive for the virus, have risen in recent weeks.
Hospitalizations in Indiana stood at 805 as of Sunday, down from 881 this past Tuesday, but still up from 595 on June 26, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
Most of Indiana, including Bartholomew County, will remain in “Stage 4.5” of a five-stage plan for until at least the end of the month, which keeps many of the restrictions in Stage 4 in place, including no social gatherings of more than 250 people, a 75% occupancy limit at in-person dining establishments and 50% capacity at bars and nightclubs.
Currently, it is unclear how big of an impact the measures around the country will have on the job-market recovery.
While the U.S. jobless rate in June was down from 13.3% in May, the data was gathered during the second week of June, just before a number of states began to reverse or suspend the reopenings of their economies to try to beat back the virus, according to The Associated Press.
