Ohio’s jobless rate increases slightly

Van Wert independent news

COLUMBUS — Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5.4 percent in August 2017, up from 5.2 percent in July 2017. Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 5,200 over the month, from a revised 5,540,000 in July to 5,545,200 in August 2017.

The number of unemployed workers in Ohio in August was 311,000, up 11,000 from 300,000 in July. The number of unemployed has increased by 29,000 in the past 12 months from 282,000. The August unemployment rate for Ohio increased from 4.9 percent in August 2016.

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

County-by-county unemployment figures will be released this week.