Columbus, OH – Rea S. Hederman Jr., executive director of the Economic Research Center at The Buckeye Institute and vice president of policy, commented on newly released employment data from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. 

“Although Ohio’s unemployment rate continued to fall in November—down from 6.1 percent in October to 5.7 percent—a driving force behind the drop was many Ohioans stopped looking for work. As it has throughout the pandemic, Ohio’s labor force participation rate continued a pattern of monthly volatility, falling 1.8 points in November and far exceeding the national rate which fell only .2 points. 

“Despite Ohioans leaving the labor market, there is clear evidence that Ohio’s job market improved over the fall. In September, Ohio’s unemployment rate was 8.3 percent, and today it stands at 5.7 percent; the labor force participation rate, which was 61.1 percent in September, stands at 61.2 percent today.

“While Ohio added 27,600 new jobs in November, the state is still down 287,800 jobs compared to November 2019. Manufacturing jobs declined with the loss of 2,000 jobs, however, the service sector added 28,500 new jobs—11,300 of those coming in leisure and hospitality, which is still down more than 115,000 jobs compared to 2019. 

“With job losses from the pandemic still impacting a quarter of a million workers, Ohio has a long way to go before it fully recovers from the economic impact of the pandemic. As the next General Assembly prepares for 2021, policymakers need to prioritize passing economic growth policies that cut spending and strategically use Ohio’s rainy day fund. Above all, lawmakers need to resist any urge to raise taxes, which would slow job growth further and cripple Ohio’s recovery.”

# # #