Ohio’s jobless rate grows

Ohio’s unemployment rate edged up last month to 5.2 percent, up from 5 percent in June, as the number of unemployed people outpaced the number of people who won new jobs.

In its monthly report released Friday, the state said its non-agricultural wage and salary employment rose 1,600 over the month, from a revised 5,536,500 in June to 5,538,100 in July.

But the number of workers unemployed in Ohio also went up in July, rising 9,000 from 291,000 in June.

RELATEDVandalia company's jobs commitment shrinks

The number of unemployed has increased by 19,000 in the past year from 281,000. In the same period, non-agricultural wage and salary employment grew by 47,500.

In July 2016, the jobless rate was 4.9 percent.

The U.S. unemployment rate for July was 4.3 percent, down from 4.4 percent in June and down from 4.9 percent in July 2016.

Cleveland economist George Zeller called the report “disappointing.” He said the state's employment growth rate still appears to be an ongoing recovery from the 2007-2008 recession, but the speed of the recovery is too slow to provide sufficient jobs for all those who have lost jobs since the year 2000.

“July 2017 was the 56th consecutive month when Ohio's job growth has been below the USA national average,” Zeller said in an email. “This highly alarming streak has now reached a highly alarming duration of 4 years and 8 additional months.”

Sectors hit last month included construction — a loss of 1,700 jobs — and manufacturing, which saw a loss of 1,100 jobs.

About the Author