After 2 months of declining unemployment, Ohio joblessness rises to 10.5 percent

Ohio unemployment rises to 10.5 pct in Oct

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio’s unemployment rate has gone up for the first time in three months, to 10.5 percent in October from 10.1 percent in September.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said Friday that joblessness increased despite slightly more hiring by both services and goods-producing businesses.

Department director Douglas Lumpkin says more workers found themselves unemployed and looking for work, keeping the state’s labor market weak.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio last month was 618,000, up from 594,000 in September.

But nonfarm payroll employment rose by 1,400.

Ohio joblessness had fallen in both August and September. Officials said the reason was that job seekers were getting discouraged and dropping out of the labor force.