Ohio unemployment sees drop to 5.5 percent, below national level and lowest in 7 years

Ohio's unemployment rate dropped again in May and is at its lowest level since before the Great Recession, the state reported Friday.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said the seasonally adjusted rate in May was 5.5 percent, which was down from 5.7 percent in March and 6.1 percent in April. It's the state's lowest jobless rate in seven years, matching the rate for April 2007.

Ohio's rate remains below the national rate, which was 6.3 percent in April and May.

Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment increased 2,900 over the month, from 5,295,400 in March to 5,298,300 in May, the agency said. The number of unemployed workers in Ohio in May was 317,000, down 11,000 from 328,000 in April.

The number of unemployed workers in the state has decreased by 108,000 in the past 12 months.

While employment in goods-producing and construction was down last month, gains were seen in manufacturing, mining and logging and the private service-producing sector.

Gains were logged in professional and business services (up 6,000), trade, transportation and utilities (up 1,300), financial activities (up 400) and information (up 200). Declines were seen in leisure and hospitality (down 4,300) and educational and health services (down 900).

Government employment lost 100 jobs, to 754,400. Losses in local and federal government surpassed gains in state government jobs.

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Online: http://jfs.ohio.gov/RELEASES/unemp/201406/index.stm