Slightly More Ohioans  Back To Work but U.S. Rate Unimproved

Ohio’s unemployment rate was 10.3 percent in July, down slightly from 10.5 percent in June, according to data released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio’s nonfarm wage and salary employment increased 1,800 over the month, from the revised 5,045,000 in June to 5,046,800 in July.

“The number of unemployed Ohioans declined in July, and the unemployment rate decreased to 10.3 percent,” ODJFS Director Douglas Lumpkin said.  “Job gains in the private sector were partially offset by continuing jobs losses among government workers.”

Ohio Govenor Ted Strictland was more upbeat: “Ohio unemployment rates have declined for four months in a row and the private sector created 10,500 Ohio jobs in July.  That’s a clear sign businesses are investing in Ohio.  In recent months we’ve seen growth again because in recent years we have lowered taxes, cut red tape and invested in the industries creating jobs that are hard to outsource.  A recent study by the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank shows that over the last three months Ohio has the sixth-fastest growing economy.  We have a long way to go, but Ohio is moving in the right direction,” Strickland said.

Cleveland independent economic analyst George Zeller is far more cautious and said, “… monthly estimates for Ohio employment in CES from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and ODJFS are inflated by more than 85,000 jobs that do not exist. Therefore, most of the 48,400 jobs gained in Ohio during 2010 will certainly be eliminated during future downward revisions to the preliminary data. Given the enormous uncertainties in the July 2010 Ohio employment estimate, the wonderful end to Ohio’s long streak of 172 consecutive months with the state’s job growth below the USA national average must also be considered to be preliminary and tentative, subject to future large revisions in the data.”

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in July was 614,000, down from 625,000 in June. The number of unemployed has decreased by 22,000 in the past 12 months from 636,000. The July unemployment rate for Ohio was down from 10.6 percent in July 2009.

Here’s The Picture:

• U.S. – 9.5%
• Ohio – 13.3%
• Mahoning Valley – 12.0%
• Columbiana Co. – 12.4%
• Mahoning Co. – 11.7%
• Trumbull Co. – 12.0%
• Youngstown City – 13.7%
• Warren City – 13.2%

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