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

Ohio's unemployment rate was 8.8 percent in January, up from the revised rate of 7.4 in December, according to data released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment decreased 59,700 over the month, from 5,271,900 in December, to 5,212,200 in January.

"Ohio's labor market showed continued decline in January," ODJFS Director Douglas Lumpkin said. "The unemployment rate rose to 8.8 percent as job losses increased in both the goods-producing and service-providing industries."

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in January was 524,000, up from 445,000 in December. The number of unemployed has increased by 181,000 in the past 12 months from 343,000. The January unemployment rate for Ohio was up from 5.7 percent in January 2008.

The U.S. unemployment rate for January was 7.6 percent, up from 7.2 percent in December.

Total Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Ohio's nonagricultural wage and salary employment fell 59,700 over the month, from 5,271,900 in December to 5,212,200 in January, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by ODJFS.

Goods producers dropped 37,400 to 870,400 in January. Reductions in durable goods (-19,700) and nondurable goods (-14,400) lowered manufacturing 34,100. Construction was down 3,100, while mining and logging slipped 200. Service-providing industries, at 4,341,800, were 22,300 lower. The largest declines occurred in financial activities (-6,800), government (-4,800), and professional and business services (-4,400). Smaller decreases were noted in information (-2,300), trade, transportation, and utilities (-2,000), educational and health services (-900), leisure and hospitality (-600), and other services (-500).

Over the past 12 months, nonfarm wage and salary employment fell 214,600. Goods-producing industries dropped 122,900. Manufacturing was down 90,600 due to losses in durable goods (-63,400) and nondurable goods (-27,200). Also down were construction (-32,000) and mining and logging ( 300). Service-providing industries declined 91,700. Trade, transportation, and utilities (-39,800) and professional and business services (-39,100) had the greatest decreases. Lesser reductions were seen in financial activities (-12,000), government (-10,300), information (-4,000), and other services (-3,900). Employment rose over the year in educational and health services (+16,300) and leisure and hospitality (+1,100).

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 be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Labor Market Information at (614) 466-1109.

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 January 2009 will be posted online at http://lmi.state.oh.us/laus/current.htm on Tuesday, March 3, 2009. February 2009 unemployment rates and nonagricultural wage and salary data for Ohio will be released by ODJFS on Friday, March 20, 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.