Ohio's Unemployment Rate Rises to 5.7% in July
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate rose by two-tenths of a percentage point in July from the month before, driven by job losses in sectors including manufacturing, professional and business services and educational and health services.
In July, the state’s unemployment rate was 5.7%, up from 5.5% in June but down from 7.5% in July 2013, according to this morning's report from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Nonfarm wage and salary employment decreased 12,400 over the month, from a revised 5,301,300 in June to 5,288,900 in July. The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in July was 323,000, up 7,000 from 316,000 in June
Employment in goods-producing industries, at 875,000, decreased 2,300 from June as losses in manufacturing (down 2,900) outweighed gains in construction (up 600). The private service-providing sector, at 3,660,900, decreased 11,600. Job losses took place in professional and business services (down 4,200), educational and health services (down 3,700), leisure and hospitality (down 2,900), other services (down 1,400), information (down 200), and financial activities (down 200).
Employment gains were recorded in trade, transportation, and utilities, which gained by 1,000 jobs. Government employment, at 753,000, added 1,500 jobs as employment gains in local government (6,900) were partially offset by losses in state (down 5,300) and federal (down 100) government.
The campaigns of both Gov. John Kasich, a Republican running for a second term this fall, and Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, his Democratic challenger, offered reaction to the jobs report.
"Ohio has come a long way in the past three years but we're clearly not out of the woods yet and anyone who thinks we are is mistaken,” said Kasich campaign spokeswoman Connie Wehrkamp.
“The jobs-friendly policies championed by the governor are working, evidenced by the fact that Ohioans have created a quarter-million private sector jobs under our watch after losing 350,000 under the previous administration,” she continued. “We need to stick to our job-creation policies and continue to make Ohio more business-friendly."
FitzGerald said it is “clearer than ever” why Kasich “wants to spend this race lobbying petty partisan attacks and avoiding reporters’ questions” regarding the issues that affect the state’s working families.
“When it comes to helping Ohio's middle class, Governor Kasich's record is as unimpressive as this month's job report," he remarked.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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