Ohio unemployment claims decline during latest reporting week

Ohio reported fewer initial and continued unemployment claims during the week ending July 18.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said Ohioans filed 4,425 initial unemployment claims from July 12 through July 18. That was 1,318 fewer than the previous week.

Approximately 848 initial claims were flagged for additional identity verification as the state works to prevent fraudulent claims.

Ohioans also filed 43,753 continued unemployment claims, a decrease of 649 from the previous week.

The combined number of initial and continued claims was 48,178.

Ohio’s unemployment rate stood at 3.6% in June, compared with the national rate of 4.2%.

The state’s labor force participation rate was 61.6%, slightly above the national rate of 61.5%.

Job seekers can use OhioMeansJobs services to search for openings, complete career and skills assessments, improve resumes and prepare for interviews. Employers may also receive assistance finding candidates, reviewing resumes and learning about available tax credits and training programs.