The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Jobless rate falls, but more not looking

Butler County Fair Results, Sunday, Aug. 1
New 9 min. ago
Medical helicopter on scene of College Corner Pike accident
Updated 26 min. ago
Local band to play some classics at music festival
11:17 a.m.
Children invited to learn from Miami football coach
10:39 a.m.
Community briefs
10:38 a.m.
> More headlines

E-mail this page

By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer 10:50 PM Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Local unemployment numbers dropped again last month, though a state official said the decrease may be due to more people giving up on their search for work.

In Butler County, jobless rates fell from 10.1 percent in August to 9.1 percent in September, according to a report released Tuesday, Oct. 20, by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The report, based on a monthly survey by the U.S. Census Bureau rather than unemployment payments, showed that while the number of people who said they were unemployed and actively seeking work dropped by 2,200 in the county, so did the number of people who were working.

An additional 2,500 dropped out of the employment ranks last month, according to the report.

In Warren County, the unemployment rate for September also fell from 9.3 percent to 8.5 percent.

Rates also took a dive in Hamilton, Fairfield and Middletown, the only Butler County cities tracked by the state.

Middletown’s rate fell from 11.5 percent to 10.3 percent. In Hamilton, jobless numbers fell from 11.6 percent to 10.8 percent. Fairfield’s unemployment figures dipped from 9.4 to 8.7 percent, according to the ODJFS report.

Brian Harter, spokesman for the ODJFS, said the dip correlates with more people leaving the employment market.

“We attribute this to more people going back to school or simply being frustrated they cannot find employment,” he said.

As the number of jobless continues to remain high, Jerome Kearns, assistant director of the Butler County Department of Job and Family Services, said so is the number of residents seeking other government assistance programs such as food stamps. As of September, about 41,000 people, or 7,000 more, have sought food stamps since January, many for the first time.

“Largely what we are seeing is people finding themselves in a place of unemployment or underemployment where they have never had to seek these services to help their families,” he said. “They’re finding themselves a grocery bag short.”

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

Maybe some of this jobless decided to have their own business. I heard that government is also helping them.

Regards,
http://www.goldcoinsgain.com

Gold
8:37 PM, 10/22/2009

REPORT ABUSE

For real...if you have been unemployed for 1 1/2 years then you are simply not looking. You do help desk? I see plenty of help desk related jobs. Try working for temp agency for the interim just to get you by. At 24 years old, you seem to be buying into the notion that you are entitled to a job of your choosing and that it is beneath you to actually hit the pavement. You're in for a rude awakening, my friend.

PWC032096
2:00 PM, 10/21/2009

REPORT ABUSE

How exactly is it Bush's fault that you are umemployed? And has Obama helped you find a new job? Sometimes it's not all about the president. He doesn't control as much as people think he does.

right.....
1:34 PM, 10/21/2009

REPORT ABUSE

I have been unemployed for 1 1/2 years.....Thank you Bush!

24 years old, Help desk Professional, white-boy, and i am decent looking, good with what i do....

I feel sorry for the minorities i bet they are screwed the worst....

Chris
10:37 AM, 10/21/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Obama didnt extend crap. Congress extended the benefits.

john
9:18 AM, 10/21/2009

REPORT ABUSE

There are 6 additional comments

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.