Initial claims for unemployment rise again amidst pandemic

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Initial claims for unemployment compensation rose for the third week in a row, the state reported Thursday in a sign of ongoing uncertainty for Ohio’s economy. Continuing claims for unemployment, considered a more reliable indicator, fell only slightly.

For the week ending Oct. 3, 18,592 Ohioans filed jobless claims, an increase of about 3%, according to the Department of Job and Family Services. Ohioans filed 299,030 claims for continuing unemployment for the week ending Oct. 3, a .75% drop from the previous week.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has promised details next week on an aid plan for people struggling to pay their rent, and for small businesses and nonprofits.

Nationally, the number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits dipped last week to a still-high 840,000, the government reported Thursday.

Coronavirus cases have been on the rise in Ohio, with the Department of Health reporting 1,539 confirmed and probable cases Thursday, well above the 21-day case average of 1,080. More than 164,000 confirmed and probable cases have been reported to date, including 4,983 deaths.

Eighteen counties are considered “red” under the state’s rating system for counties with high rates of virus spread, the highest since July.

“Frankly, these numbers are very alarming,” DeWine said Thursday.