Ohio sees slight increase in initial jobless claims, drop in continued claims

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services says 4,858 initial unemployment claims were filed across the state during the week of March 22 through March 28. That was 172 more than the week before.

The agency said about 912 of those initial claims were flagged for more detailed identity verification to help prevent fraud.

Meanwhile, continued unemployment claims moved in the other direction. Ohio recorded 55,845 continued claims last week, which was 2,221 fewer than the previous week.

In total, 60,703 unemployment claims were filed in Ohio during the week.

The latest state labor data shows Ohio’s unemployment rate was 4.5 percent in December, compared to the national rate of 4.4 percent. Ohio’s labor force participation rate stood at 62.3 percent, just below the national rate of 62.4 percent.

ODJFS says job seekers can find help through OhioMeansJobs centers across the state, including assistance with job searches, resumes, career assessments and interview preparation.