State jobless in double digits for 10th month

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By William Hershey, Columbus Bureau Updated 6:33 PM Friday, March 5, 2010

COLUMBUS — Ohio’s jobless rate in January was 10.8 percent, the same as the revised 10.8 percent for December, marking the tenth straight month of double-digit unemployment in the state, according to data released on Friday, March 5, by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Still, economist Ken Mayland said there are signs that Ohio’s economy may be turning the corner, based both on what’s happening in the state and nationally.

Chris Kershner, vice president for public policy and economic development for the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, also said there are some positive indicators.

“We are starting to see a slight recovery in the area,” Kershner said. There are several major projects under way but “we are not going to realize the job benefits from those until a year from now,” he added.

The national jobless rate for February, also released Friday, stood at 9.7 percent, the same as January. Ohio’s February rate will be released on March 19. The national rate for December was 10 percent.

February’s national rate stayed the same despite snowy weather which disrupted the economy, said Mayland.

“For more than a year, things were getting just less bad,” said Mayland, president of ClearView Economics in Pepper Pike, a Cleveland suburb. “...Labor market conditions are now improving.”

Mayland said he “fully expects the figures in March and beyond to get better and better. This is a progressive thing.”

A key positive sign nationally and especially for Ohio, Mayland said, is that the “auto industry is ramping up.” The same thing is true for manufacturing in general, he said.

“People say we don’t have a manufacturing sector,” said Mayland. “Thank goodness we have a manufacturing sector. It’s actually leading the rebound.”

Meanwhile, Ohio employment dropped 12,800 over the month, from 4,998,400 in December to 4,985,600 in January.

The number of workers without jobs increased, rising from 638,000 in December to 641,000 in December.

During the past 12 months, the number of unemployed Ohioans has gone up by 126,000 from 515,000 a year ago.

Employment in service-providing industries dropped to 4,196,000 in January, down by 11,300. Jobs in goods-producing industries fell by 1,500 to 789,600 and construction was down 4,200.

In January 2009 the state unemployment rate was 8.6 percent.

The jobless rate for December first was reported at 10.9 percent but was revised down to 10.8.

Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1608 or whershey@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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