Supply Chain Disruptions Cause Spike in Unemployment September 20, 2021 Report The Indiana Department of Workforce Development, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, has released the August Unemployment Report. The rate for Huntington County residents was 4.9%, up from 3.1% in July. The rate is the highest monthly figure since 2020 and is reflective of supply chain disruptions in the automotive industry. "The number of employed is actually up as is the number of jobs available," said Mark Wickersham, executive director of the Huntington County Economic Development Corporation. "The number also was affected by a surge in COVID, Delta Variance, and vaccine-related policies," he said. "Computer chip manufacturing has disrupted automotive manufacturing, resulting in the temporary idling of some regional automotive OEMs, however, demand is still very strong. I hope this is a short-term concern," he concluded. According to the job posting site, Indeed.com, 630 jobs are immediately available within 10 miles of downtown Huntington. This is up from 475 in July. Click here to read the report.