Local unemployment rates skyrocket

SANDUSKY — More than 25 percent of people in Erie County's workforce were unemployed in April. According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the county's unemployment rate skyrocketed to 25.5 percent in April from March's 6.6 percent and April 2019's 4.7 percent. The unemployment in the surrounding counties also rose exponentially, with Huron County's rate increasing by 13 percentage points to reach 21.5 percent, significantly worse than April 2019's 4.6 percent. Ottawa County's rate rose to 19.5 percent, and Sandusky County increased to 19.9, which was worse than their respective pre-pandemic rates of 5.3 and 3.8 during the same period of 2019. All four counties' rates were significantly higher than the state's average of 16.8 percent — an increase of 11 percentage points from March — when seasonally adjusted, which removes factors like holidays and weather. The national average also rose to 14.7 percent, an increase of more than 10 percent. U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia blamed the growth in unemployment on the COVID-19 pandemic, which has devastated the economy and left thousands of Americans without jobs. "(The) report reflects the massive impact that measures to contain the coronavirus have had on the American workforce," Scalia said. "This employment situation is exceptionally fluid. We know that today's data reflect neither the additional layoffs that occurred in late April and early May nor the employees beginning to return to work in some States. We also know that, by reopening safely, we can avoid permanent job losses for the overwhelming percentage of Americans who, the report shows, currently view their job loss as temporary."