Compared to a year ago, more Butler County residents are employed (182,700 in July 2014), and fewer are unemployed (10,400 this July). However, the total labor force shrank year-over-year, which could be due to retirements, students signing up for classes, or discouraged workers giving up on their job searches.
Across Ohio, unemployment rates increased in 73 of 88 counties, ranging from a low of 3.3 percent in Mercer County to a high of 12.2 percent in Monroe County, according to estimates from Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
As previously reported, the statewide unemployment rate edged up in July for the first time this year to 5.7 percent from 5.5 percent in June. But the rise in the state unemployment rate had nothing to do with an increase in people working or seeking jobs.
In fact, 6,000 Ohioans dropped out of the labor force last month, continuing a long-term trend that has shrunk Ohio’s workforce to its lowest level since August 1997, state jobs data shows.
State unemployment rolls remain lower than the national rate of 6.2 percent last month.
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