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

“February 2023 marks three years after the start of the pandemic, and Ohio now has 4,805,900 private-sector jobs—11,000 jobs shy of the state’s pre-pandemic peak. Ohio’s job market added 2,300 private-sector jobs in February, continuing a trend that should see the state surpass its pre-pandemic job total this year.

“Once again, the household survey was strong as the unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent and the labor force participation rate increased to 61.4 percent. These positive signs show that Ohioans are returning to the workforce and are finding jobs. Ohio also gained ground compared to the national average, which saw unemployment rise to 3.6 percent.

“Three years after the start of the pandemic, the Ohio job market continues to strengthen, but too many Ohioans remain out of the labor force due in part to federal government policies that discourage work. As these programs end, Ohio needs to adopt policies that reward and encourage work, such as lowering income taxes and prioritizing an education system that teaches skills employers need.”

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