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Jobless Rate Falls As Benefits Reduced

The Labor Department says the number of claims for unemployment insurance benefits in Ohio fell last week by nearly 14-hundred.Nationally, claims were unchanged from a week ago -- 374-thousand. Applications must fall consistently below 375-thousand to lower the unemployment rate.  Meanwhile the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services says starting in September, the maximum number of weeks jobless workers may receive unemployment benefits will drop to 63. The current number is 73, down from 99 prior to the month of April. Jobless workers receive an average of 300 dollars a week. The department says with Ohio's unemployment rate at 7.2 percent in July, the state no longer qualifies for as many weeks of emergency unemployment benefits.  

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.