Ohio unemployment rises to 11.1 percent in June

7/17/2009

COLUMBUS - A wide range of job losses has pushed Ohio unemployment higher for the seventh month in a row, to 11.1 percent in June.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services spokesman Brian Harter said Friday that's the highest since August 1983.

Unemployment rose last month from May's rate of 10.8 percent. In June of last year, the state had joblessness of 6.4 percent.

Department Director Douglas Lumpkin says Ohio's employment market weakened further last month due to major job losses in manufacturing, particularly the auto industry, as well as in services.

Officials say the number of unemployed in Ohio was 662,000 during June, up from 647,000 in May. The number of out-of-work Ohioans has increased by 279,000 in the last 12 months.