The number of fresh formal jobs created fell for the second consecutive month in September, declining 9% sequentially to 930,000, reports The Business Standard, citing the latest payroll data released by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). Enrolment of new female subscribers fell faster (11.39%) than their male counterparts (8.13%) in September, compared with the previous month. Suchita Dutta, executive director, Indian Staffing Federation attributed the comparatively high rate of decline in new female subscribers to businesses’ insistence upon the employees to attend work in person. “Going forward, organisations have to be flexible and integrate different modes of working, so that the opportunities for women employees do not suffer disproportionately”, she added.

The unemployment rate declined to 6.4% from 8.3% in August, but this improvement was majorly on the back of rural areas that saw job creation in rural manufacturing, construction, mining and utilities, the sort of establishments that may not be covered under EPFO. Although the unemployment rate also declined in urban areas, this was due to a fall in the labour participation rate.