Statewide jobless rate stagnant in August

ODJFS information

Ohio’s unemployment rate was unchanged over July, coming in at 5.7 percent in August, according to information released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services on Friday.

Ohio’s nonfarm wage and salary employment increased 200 over the month, from a revised 5,292,700 in July to 5,292,900 in August.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in August was 324,000, up 1,000 from 323,000 in July. The number of unemployed has decreased by 109,000 in the past 12 months from 433,000. The August unemployment rate for Ohio was down from 7.5 percent in August 2013.

The U.S. unemployment rate for August was 6.1 percent, down from 6.2 percent in July, and down from 7.2 percent in August 2013.

Total Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 200 over the month, from a revised 5,292,700 in July to 5,292,900 in August, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics) in cooperation with ODJFS.

Employment in goods-producing industries, at 873,600, decreased 2,400 from July as losses in construction (-3,500) surpassed gains in manufacturing (+1,100). Mining and logging did not change over the month. Employment in the private service-providing sector, at 3,658,500, decreased 5,600. Job losses occurred in trade, transportation and utilities (-6,600), other services (-1,100), financial activities (-700), information (-600), and leisure and hospitality (-500).

Employment gains occurred in educational and health services (+2,700) and professional and business services (+1,200). Government employment, at 760,800, added 8,200 jobs as employment gains in local (+8,700) and federal (+100) government outweighed a decline in state government (-600).

From August 2013 to August 2014, nonagricultural wage and salary employment grew 18,200. Goods-producing industries added 12,200 jobs. Manufacturing gained 12,900 jobs in durable goods (+9,800) and non-durable goods (+3,100). Mining and logging employment increased 800 but construction employment decreased 1,500. The private service-providing sector added 8,600 jobs.

The most significant gains occurred in professional and business services (+14,100). Also adding jobs were educational and health services (+3,600), other services (+2,400), and trade, transportation, and utilities (+500). Employment declines occurred in financial activities (-6,800), leisure and hospitality (-3,000), and information (-2,200). Government employment decreased 2,600 due to losses in state (-1,800) and federal (-800) government. Local government employment was unchanged over the year.