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

Ohio's unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in March, up from 5.3 percent in February, according to data released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment decreased 2,600 over the month, from 5,420,500 in February, to 5,417,900 in March.

"Ohio continued to feel the effects of a weaker economy in March," ODJFS Helen Jones-Kelley said. "Overall, losses in goods-producing industries overshadowed smaller gains in the service-providing industries.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in March was 344,000, up from 316,000 in February. The number of unemployed has increased by 15,000 in the past 12 months from 329,000. The March unemployment rate for Ohio was up from 5.5 percent in March 2007.

The U.S. unemployment rate for March was 5.1 percent, up from 4.8 percent in February.

Total Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Ohio's nonagricultural wage and salary employment, at 5,417,900 in March, was down 2,600 from February according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by ODJFS.

Goods-producing industries fell 8,700 to 993,300. Losses of 7,200 in durable goods and 1,000 in nondurable goods reduced manufacturing 8,200. Construction employment dropped 600. Natural resources and mining advanced 100. Service-providing industries, at 4,424,600, increased 6,100. Educational and health services rose 2,200 due to growth in health care and social assistance. Also up were trade, transportation, and utilities (+1,300), government (+1,200), professional and business services (+800), leisure and hospitality (+800), and other services (+200). Information was down 400. There was little change in financial activities.

Over the past 12 months, nonagricultural wage and salary employment fell 9,600. The goods-producing sector was down 22,800. The largest decrease was in manufacturing (-20,600), with most of the loss occurring in durable goods. The construction sector lost 2,700 jobs. Natural resources and mining advanced 500. Service-providing industries rose 13,200 over the year. Educational and health services advanced 14,800. Professional and business services gained 3,900 jobs, while trade, transportation, and utilities was up 2,200. Sectors that declined from March 2007 were leisure and hospitality (-2,700), other services (-2,300), financial activities (-1,300), government (-800), and information (-600).

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.

News release dates

A calendar of 2008 release dates is available online at http://lmi.state.oh.us/laus/releases.htm County, city and metropolitan area unemployment rates for March 2008 will be posted online at http://lmi.state.oh.us/laus/current.htmon Tuesday, April 22, 2008. April 2008 unemployment rates and nonagricultural wage and salary data for Ohio will be released by ODJFS on Friday, May 16, 2008. This information and the monthly statistical summaries it is based on are also available at http://jfs.ohio.gov/releases.

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