Ohio unemployment up slightly in July

VW independent/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in July 2017, up from 5.0 percent in June 2017, according to figures released Friday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in July was 300,000, up 9,000 from 291,000 in June. The number of unemployed has increased by 19,000 in the past 12 months from 281,000. The July unemployment rate for Ohio increased from 4.9 percent in July 2016.

The U.S. unemployment rate for July was 4.3 percent, down from 4.4 percent in June and down from 4.9 percent in July 2016.

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 1,600 over the month, from a revised 5,536,500 in June to 5,538,100 in July 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 907,200, decreased 2,700 over the month as losses in construction (-1,700) and manufacturing (-1,100) exceeded gains in mining and logging (+100). The private service-providing sector, at 3,847,800, added 200 jobs.

Employment gains in leisure and hospitality (+5,200), financial activities (+1,200), and information (+100) surpassed losses in other services (-2,600), professional and business services (-2,400), and educational and health services (-1,300). Employment in trade, transportation, and utilities did not change over the month. Government employment, at 783,100, increased 4,100 in local (+3,900) and federal (+200) government. State government employment did not change over the month.

From July 2016 to July 2017, nonagricultural wage and salary employment grew 47,500. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 5,000. Construction added 5,900 jobs. Mining and logging added 200 jobs. Manufacturing employment decreased 1,100 as losses in durable goods (-1,800) surpassed gains in nondurable goods (+700). The private service-providing sector added 37,700 jobs.

Employment gains in educational and health services (+17,900), leisure and hospitality (+9,500), financial activities (+9,200), professional and business services (+5,900), and information (+1,100) exceeded losses in trade, transportation, and utilities (-4,900) and other services (-1,000). Government employment increased 4,800 in local (+2,700), state (+1,700), and federal (+400) government.