Ohio and U.S. Employment Situation (Seasonally Adjusted)

Ohio's unemployment rate was 10.2 percent in April, up from 9.7 percent in March, according to data released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment decreased 25,200 over the month, from 5,158,700 in March to 5,133,500 in April.

"Ohio's labor market continued to weaken in April," ODJFS Director Douglas Lumpkin said. "Recurring losses in both manufacturing and construction, along with additional losses in the service providing industries, attributed to the unemployment rate increasing to 10.2 percent."

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in April was 608,000, up from 578,000 in March. The number of unemployed has increased by 235,000 in the past 12 months from 373,000. The April unemployment rate for Ohio was up from 6.2 percent in April 2008.

The U.S. unemployment rate for April was 8.9 percent, up from 8.5 percent in March.

Total Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment fell 25,200 over the month, from 5,158,700 in March to 5,133,500 in April, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by ODJFS.

Goods-producing industries, at 831,600, was down 18,200. A loss of 11,900 in durable goods was partially offset by a gain of 400 in nondurable goods, reducing manufacturing 11,500. Employment in construction dropped 6,700. Mining and logging was little changed. Service-providing industries fell 7,000 to 4,301,900. Declines in retail trade lowered trade, transportation, and utilities 6,900. Losses were also noted in leisure and hospitality (-2,000), information (-1,800), and financial activities (-1,100). Hiring for the upcoming census boosted government 2,500. Other sectors with increased employment were other services (+1,000), educational and health services (+800), and professional and business services (+500).

Over the past 12 months, nonfarm payroll employment fell 262,600. Goods-producing industries was 142,300 lower. Manufacturing dropped 109,600, due to losses of 83,600 in durable goods and 26,000 in nondurable goods. Construction was down 32,700 jobs. Mining and logging was on par with April 2008. Service-providing industries declined 120,300 over the year. Professional and business services were 53,900 lower, while trade, transportation, and utilities dropped 46,000. Also down were financial activities (-12,500), information (-7,300), government (-6,900), and other services ( 3,900). Educational and health services advanced 10,100. Leisure and hospitality increased 100.

EDITOR'S NOTE: All data cited are produced in cooperation with the U. S. Department of Labor. Data sources include Current Population Survey (U.S. data); Current Employment Statistics Program (nonagricultural wage and salary employment data); and Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program (Ohio unemployment rates). More complete listings of the data appear in the monthly Ohio Labor Market Review. Unemployment rates for all Ohio counties as well as cities with populations of 50,000 or more are presented in the monthly ODJFS Civilian Labor Force Estimates publication. Updated statewide historical data may be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Labor Market Information at (614) 466-1109. Ohioans can access tens of thousands of job openings, for positions ranging from file clerks to CEOs, at www.ohiomeansjobs.com.

News release dates

A calendar of 2009 release dates is available online at http://lmi.state.oh.us/laus/releases.htm County, city and metropolitan area unemployment rates for April 2009 will be posted online at http://lmi.state.oh.us/laus/current.htm on Tuesday, May 26, 2009. May 2009 unemployment rates and nonagricultural wage and salary data for Ohio will be released by ODJFS on Friday, June 19, 2009. This information and the monthly statistical summaries it is based on are also available at http://jfs.ohio.gov/releases.

Choose this link to view the table on the Ohio and U.S. Employment Situation.

Choose this link to view the table for the Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment Estimates for Ohio.