Ohio's jobless rate jumps to 9.7 percent

4/17/2009

Ohio's unemployment rate climbed to 9.7 percent in March, up from a revised 9.5 percent in February, the state Department of Job and Family Services said Friday.

The number of jobless statewide climbed by 11,000 from a month earlier to 578,000 and employment declined by 37,500 to 5.16 million.

The number of unemployed has increased by 211,000 in the past 12 months from 367,000. The March rate for Ohio was up from 6.1 percent in March, 2008.

The U.S. unemployment rate for March was 8.5 percent, up from 8.1 percent in February. Michigan's rate, released this week, jumped to 12.6 percent, up from 12 percent.