Ohio unemployment up slightly in August

VW independent/submitted information

Ohio’s unemployment rate increased slightly to 4.1 percent in August 2019, up from 4.0 percent in July, according to information released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 3,700 over the month, from a revised 5,588,000 in July to 5,591,700 in August 2019.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in August was 238,000, up 3,000 from 235,000 in July, while the number of unemployed Ohioans decreased by 24,000 in the past 12 months from 262,000. The August unemployment rate for Ohio decreased from 4.6 percent in August 2018.

The U.S. unemployment rate for August was 3.7 percent, unchanged from July, and down from 3.8 percent in August 2018.

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 3,700 over the month, from a revised 5,588,000 in July to 5,591,700 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.

Goods-producing industries, at 932,300, lost 1,400 jobs from July with losses in manufacturing (-1,200) and construction (-200). Mining and logging did not change over the month. The private service-providing sector, at 3,875,000, added 2,600 jobs.

Employment gains in educational and health services (+2,900), professional and business services (+2,400), financial activities (+600), and other services (+600) exceeded losses in leisure and hospitality (-3,200), information (-600), and trade, transportation, and utilities (-100). Government employment, at 784,400, increased 2,500 with gains in federal (+1,100), local (+800), and state (+600) government.

From August 2018 to August 2019, nonagricultural wage and salary employment grew 24,800. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 1,700. Manufacturing added 5,000 jobs in nondurable goods (+3,600) and durable goods (+1,400). Construction lost 3,600 jobs while mining and logging employment increased 300. Private service-providing industries added 19,700 jobs.

Employment gains in educational and health services (+12,500), leisure and hospitality (+8,400), professional and business services (+4,300), and financial activities (+200) surpassed losses in trade, transportation, and utilities (-4,100), information (-1,400), and other services (-200). Government employment increased 3,400 as gains in state (+2,200) and federal (+1,800) government outpaced losses in local government (-600).