The state’s jobless rate edged down a bit last month to its lowest level since October 2015.
The unemployment rate for March came in at 4.4 percent, which is still higher than the national average but is down a tenth of a point from February and more than a half a point from the same time last year.
Big gains were made in manufacturing, government, transportation and utilities and construction. But Cleveland economist George Zellersays there’s good and bad news in these numbers.
Ohio has gained more jobs in the last three months than all of last year. But Zeller says the state’s job growth is still below the national average – and has been for more than five years. And he’s already warning about next month’s numbers because of mass layoffs announced at the General Motors assembly plant in Lordstown.
