Ohio jobless rate 11%

By GRACE WYLER

gwyler@vindy.com

Ohio’s unemployment rate rose to 11 percent in March, the state’s highest unemployment level in more than 25 years.

State unemployment continued its slight upward trend last month, rising from 10.9 percent in February and 10.8 percent in January, the state reported Friday. Unemployment increased 1.4 percent from March 2009.

The last time state unemployment was this high was September 1983, said Brian Harter, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

National unemployment in March remained unchanged at 9.7 percent.

Ohio’s unemployment levels continue to rise because of the state’s dependence on the manufacturing and automotive industries, Harter said.

“The unemployment situation is another indicator of how dire the economy is,” Harter said.

Job losses in the automotive industry have hit Northeast Ohio particularly hard in the last year, Harter said.

Ohio lost 44,500 jobs in manufacturing from March 2009 to March 2010, the state reported Friday. Over the same period, the state lost 29,400 construction jobs and 34,100 jobs in trade, transportation and utilities.

These jobs are coming back slowly.

The state gained 4,900 jobs in March, including 2,900 jobs in manufacturing, 500 construction jobs and 2,800 in trade, transportation and utilities. Ohio continued to lose jobs in the service sector.