Valley’s jobless rate ticks upward to 8.2 percent

Valley’s jobless rate ticks upward to 8.2 percent

The Mahoning Valley’s jobless rate ticked upward last month to 8.2 percent as the civilian labor force grew and the number of unemployed increased by 400 people, according to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.

Unemployment in the valley has dropped from its peak of 9.6 percent in January when more seasonal workers were laid off. Last month’s rate was a marginal increase from a year earlier when it stood at 8 percent.

The civilian labor force grew to 266,000, up from 265,000 in June 2012, while the number of unemployed people in the valley reached 21,700.