Ohio unemployment rate ticks up

Ohio’s unemployment rate rose slightly in June, back up to 5 percent from 4.9 percent in May.

The number of unemployed in the state has gradually risen by about 10,000 people in the past year, even as the state added 56,800 jobs from June 2016 to June 2017.

Non-agricultural wage and salary employment increased 11,500 over the month, to 5,528,800 in June, the state reported Friday morning.

UNFILLED JOB OPENINGSManufacturers desperate for workers of the future

The number of unemployed was also up in June, at 291,000, up 5,000.

The state said the number of unemployed has increased by 10,000 in the past 12 months from 281,000. The June 2016 rate was 4.9 percent.

Ohio’s May unemployment rate of 4.9 percent was down slightly from 5 percent in April. Ohio’s non-agricultural wage and salary employment increased 6,300 over that month, from a revised 5,509,100 in April to 5,515,400 in May.

Employment in goods-producing industries, at 909,500, increased 4,700 over June as gains in manufacturing (+4,000) and construction (+900) exceeded losses in mining and logging (a loss of 200 jobs), the state said.

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