Ohio unemployment remains unchanged

VW independent/submitted information

Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in March 2017, unchanged from February 2017, according to figures released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased 4,100 over the month, from a revised 5,522,800 in February to 5,518,700 in March 2017.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in March was 294,000, unchanged from February. The number of unemployed has increased by 9,000 in the past 12 months from 285,000. The March unemployment rate for Ohio increased from 5.0 percent in March 2016.

The U.S. unemployment rate for March 2017 was 4.5 percent, 0.2 percentage points lower than in February 2017, and 0.5 percentage points lower than in March 2016.

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased 4,100 over the month, from a revised 5,522,800 in February to 5,518,700 in March 2017, 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 923,300, increased 1,300 over the month in construction (+1,000), mining and logging (+200), and manufacturing (+100). The private service-providing sector, at 3,826,100, decreased 5,200. Employment losses in trade, transportation, and utilities (-6,000), professional and business services (-3,800), leisure and hospitality (-2,800), and financial activities (-700) surpassed gains in educational and health services (+6,300), information (+900), and other services (+900).

Government employment, at 769,300, decreased 200 as losses in local government (-700) exceeded gains in state (+300) and federal (+200) government.

From March 2016 to March 2017, nonagricultural wage and salary employment grew 36,500. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 14,100. Construction added 7,900 jobs. Manufacturing added 6,500 jobs in nondurable goods (+5,400) and durable goods (+1,100). Mining and logging lost 300 jobs. The private service-providing sector added 30,100 jobs.

Employment gains in educational and health services (+19,400), financial activities (+5,200), trade, transportation, and utilities (+4,400), leisure and hospitality (+2,500), and information (+1,500) exceeded losses in professional and business services (-2,000) and other services (-900).

Government employment decreased 7,700 as losses in state (-5,800) and local (-2,700) government outweighed gains in federal government (+800).