Ohio unemployment slightly down in May

Area people attend a OhioMeansJobs Montgomery County and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base career fair at the Dayton Convention Center in April. FILE

Area people attend a OhioMeansJobs Montgomery County and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base career fair at the Dayton Convention Center in April. FILE

The Ohio unemployment rate slightly improved in May, dropping to 4.1 percent from 4.2 percent in April.

That's down from 4.6 percent unemployment the same time last year, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday morning.

The Ohio unemployment rate was higher than the U.S. rate, which held at 3.6 percent for May.

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Not all people without jobs are considered unemployed by the survey standard. There were a little under 5.6 million employed Ohioans in May, down an estimated 3,900 from April.

Since last month, some of the job sectors with the most growth were leisure and hospitality, which gained 1,200 jobs and manufacturing, which gained 2,400 jobs.

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Some of the sectors with the biggest losses since last month include educational and health services, which lost 2,400 jobs, and financial activities, which decreased by 1,500 jobs.

Government employment also decreased since last month, since 900 jobs lost in local government outpaced 100 jobs gained in state government. Federal government employment did not change over the month.

Since the same time last year, there have been 42,900 non-agricultural jobs added in Ohio.

Employment grew the most from last May in educational and health services, which gained 15,300 jobs. Leisure and hospitality also gained 13,900 jobs.

Government employment took a hit as 4,800 jobs lost in local government surpassed 3,800 jobs gained in state government and 900 jobs gained in federal government.

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