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

Ohio's unemployment rate was 10.1 percent in September, down from 10.8 percent in August, according to data released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment decreased 5,900 over the month, from 5,103,100 in August to 5,097,200 in September.

"Ohio's unemployment rate declined in September as more Ohioans dropped out of the labor force," ODJFS Director Douglas Lumpkin said. "The service-providing and goods-producing sectors continued to show losses as well."

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in September was 594,000, down from 641,000 in August. The number of unemployed has increased by 190,000 in the past 12 months from 404,000. The September unemployment rate for Ohio was up from 6.8 percent in September 2008.

The U.S. unemployment rate for September was 9.8 percent, up from 9.7 percent in August.

Total Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Ohio's nonfarm payroll employment fell 5,900 over the month, from 5,103,100 in August to 5,097,200 in September, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by ODJFS.

Goods-producing industries, at 803,200, were down 5,000 from August. Manufacturing declined 3,700 as an increase in nondurable goods (+800) partially offset a reduction in durable goods (-4,500). Construction decreased 1,200, while mining and logging slipped 100. Service-providing industries (4,294,000) dropped 900. Losses were posted in trade, transportation, and utilities (-6,000), leisure and hospitality (-3,200), other services (-2,500), financial activities (-2,300), and information (-1,000). Gains occurred in professional and business services (+6,400), government (+5,400), and educational and health services (+2,300).

Over the past 12 months, nonagricultural wage and salary employment fell 258,100. Goods-producing industries were down 151,500 from September 2008. Manufacturing dropped 115,900 due to reductions in durable goods (-98,000) and nondurable goods (-17,900). Construction lost 35,200 jobs. Mining and logging decreased 400. Service-providing industries declined 106,600. The largest losses were in professional and business services (-54,100) and trade, transportation, and utilities (-51,700). Also down were financial activities (-9,100), other services (-7,900), information (-7,500), and government (-4,100). Significant increases occurred in educational and health services (+22,700) and leisure and hospitality (+5,100).

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) 752-9494. 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://OhioLMI.com/laus/releases.htm County, city and metropolitan area unemployment rates for September 2009 will be posted online at http://OhioLMI.com/laus/current.htm on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. October 2009 unemployment rates and nonagricultural wage and salary data for Ohio will be released by ODJFS on Friday, November 20, 2009. This information and the monthly statistical summaries it is based on are also available at http://jfs.ohio.gov/releases.

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