Cyberattack causes jobless rates to soar

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

COLUMBUS — Figures released this week by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services show area unemployment rates increased dramatically during the month of June.

For example, Mercer County had Ohio’s lowest jobless rate in May, 3.3 percent, but it jumped to 5.9 percent in June, going from 3.3 to 5.9 percent, or 23^rd highest in the state, along with Belmont, Clinton, Crawford and Vinton counties. Auglaize County’s rose from 3.7 percent in May, fifth lowest in Ohio, to 6.7 percent, fifth highest in the state with Noble County.

There is a reason for the sharp increase in those two counties. Crown Equipment experienced a cyberattack that required the company to temporarily shut down its operating systems to resolve the matter. A large number of employees were temporarily laid off. The company blamed an international cybercriminal organization for the attack.

“This affected mainly residents from Mercer and Auglaize counties, but it also affected residents from Shelby, Darke, Allen, Van Wert, and Miami counties,” said Ohio Department of Job and Family Services spokesman Tom Betti.

Van Wert County’s June unemployment rate increased, from 3.7 percent to 4.8 percent, tying it for 18^th lowest with Champaign, Fairfield, Licking, Logan and Tuscarawas counties. Figures supplied by ODJFS show Van Wert County had a labor force of 15,300 in June, with 14,600 workers employed. The county’s June, 2023 unemployment rate was just 3.0 percent.

Paulding County’s June jobless rate was 4.9 percent, and Allen County’s unemployment rate was 5.6 percent. Putnam County came in at 3.7 percent, second lowest in Ohio behind Wyandot County (3.6 percent).

The state’s highest jobless rate last month was in Athens County, 8.1 percent.

According to ODJFS, the statewide average in June was 4.4 percent, up from 4.2 percent in May. Rates increased in 87 of 88 counties and did not change in the remaining county.

The U.S. unemployment rate in June was 4.1 percent, a slight increase from May (4.0 percent).

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in June was 254,000, up from 243,000 in May. The number of unemployed has increased by 60,000 in the past 12 months from 194,000.