Ohio's jobless rate soars to 10.2 percent

Area unemployed workers stand in line at the Toledo Job Fair earlier this month.

Ohio's jobless rate jumped to 10.2 percent in April, up from 9.7 percent in March, the state Department of Job and Family Services said Friday.

Employment decreased by 25,200 from the prior month and the number of unemployed climbed to 608,000, up from 578,000 in March, the state said.

"Ohio's labor market continued to weaken in April," said Douglas Lumpkin, Job and Family Services director.

"Recurring losses in both manufacturing and construction, along with additional losses in the service providing industries, attributed to the unemployment rate increasing."

The number of workers unemployed has increased by 235,000 in the past 12 months. A year ago, the state's jobless rate was 6.2 percent.

The U.S. unemployment rate for April was 8.9 percent, up from 8.5 percent in March. The local county rates for last month a are to be released next week.