Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5.5% in December 2020, down from 5.7% in November. Ohio’s non-agricultural wage and salary employment decreased 11,500 over the month, from a revised 5,253,200 in November to 5,241,700 in December 2020.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in December was 315,000, down from 328,000 in November. The number of unemployed has increased by 78,000 in the past 12 months from 237,000. The December unemployment rate for Ohio increased from 4.1% in December 2019.
The U.S. unemployment rate for December was 6.7%, unchanged from November, and up from 3.6% in December 2019.
Total Non-agricultural Wage and Salary Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)
Ohio’s non-agricultural wage and salary employment decreased 11,500 over the month, from a revised 5,253,200 in November to 5,241,700 in December, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics) in cooperation with ODJFS.
Employment in goods-producing industries, at 893,900, decreased 900 over the month as losses in manufacturing (-1,100) and construction (-100) exceeded gains in mining and logging (+300). The private service-providing sector, at 3,618,700 decreased 5,600 as losses in leisure and hospitality (-9,200), educational and health services (-6,200), professional and business services (-1,000), and information (-200) outpaced gains in trade, transportation, and utilities (+8,600), financial activities (+2,100), and other services (+300). Government employment, at 729,100, decreased 5,000 as losses in local (-5,600) and federal (-100) government exceeded gains in state government (+700).
From December 2019 to December 2020, non-agricultural wage and salary employment decreased 350,200. Employment in goods-producing industries decreased 45,600. Manufacturing lost 31,900 jobs as losses in durable goods (-35,100) surpassed gains in non-durable goods (+3,200). Construction decreased 12,600 jobs and mining and logging lost 1,100 jobs. Employment in the private service-providing sector decreased 250,800 with losses in leisure and hospitality (-125,400), professional and business services (-40,400), educational and health services (-39,300), trade, transportation, and utilities (-22,000), financial activities (-10,900), other services (-8,800), and information (-4,000). Government employment decreased 53,800 with losses in local (-28,400), state (-24,700), and federal (-700) government.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services manages vital programs that strengthen Ohio families. These include job training and employment services, unemployment insurance, cash and food assistance, child care, child and adult protective services, adoption, and child support services.
