Ohio's jobless rate holds at 10.8 percent

Ohio's unemployment rate was 10.8 percent in January, unchanged from the revised rate of 10.8 percent in December, according to data released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio’s nonfarm wage and salary employment decreased 12,800 over the month, from 4,998,400 in December to 4,985,600 in January.

 The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in January was 641,000, up from 638,000 in December. The number of unemployed has increased by 126,000 in the past 12 months from 515,000. The January unemployment rate for Ohio was up from 8.6 percent in January 2009.

The U.S. unemployment rate for January was 9.7 percent, down from 10.0 percent in December.

Total Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment fell 12,800 over the month, from 4,998,400 in December to 4,985,600 in January, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by ODJFS.

Employment in service-providing industries, at 4,196,000, was 11,300 lower. Declines were posted in financial activities (-4,700), trade, transportation, and utilities (-4,600), educational and health services (-4,300), and government (-2,600). Employment was up in professional and business services (+2,800), leisure and hospitality (+2,000), and information (+100). Other services was little changed. Goods-producing industries, at 789,600, decreased 1,500. Construction was down 4,200, while an increase in durable goods added 2,700 jobs to manufacturing. Employment was unchanged in mining and logging and nondurable goods.

Over the year, nonfarm wage and salary employment dropped 222,000. Declines in most sectors reduced service-providing employment 125,700. The most significant decreases occurred in trade, transportation, and utilities (-51,600) and professional and business services (-32,300). Other sectors with lower employment were financial activities (-17,900), government (-12,300), information (-6,000 ), other services (-4,200), and leisure and hospitality (-4,000). Educational and health services advanced 2,600. Goods-producing industries decreased 96,300. Manufacturing was down 65,000 due to losses in durable goods (-51,200) and nondurable goods (-13,800). Construction dropped 30,400, while mining and logging decreased 900.