Another source of information about unemployment is the Unemployment Insurance Fund, which is managed by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. Fewer than half of all people who experience unemployment file for UI payments, but the claims go up and down in the same pattern as total unemployment.

Source: Indiana Department of Workforce Development

The chart shows several important facts about unemployment claims. First, claims are seasonal. Within each year, the greatest number of claims is filed in January or February. The number drops off quickly after that. Few claims are filed during the summer months, except for an annual surge in July.

Another important observation is that the number of claims is dropping since the peaks reached during the last recession. The highest number of unemployment claims ever filed in Indianapolis was 10,654 in March 2003.