Indiana jobless rate jumps, state questions numbers

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana officials are disputing federal numbers showing that the state's unemployment rate jumped in January.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' report shows Indiana's jobless rate rose to 8.6 percent in January, up from 8.3 percent in December because of a spike in the number of residents who renewed their search for work. The unemployment rate counts residents who are actively seeking work and does not include every resident who is out of work.

The federal report shows Indiana added 8,200 jobs in January while the size of the workforce grew by 14,000. The growth in job seekers was the largest since 1993.

But state Workforce Development Commissioner Scott Sanders says the federal report used a new and inaccurate formula that shows Indiana's unemployment rate higher than it actually is.