The monthly Ohio unemployment report scheduled for Friday will be delayed because of the federal government shutdown. That means residents and employers will have to wait to find out whether the slight uptick in the state jobless rate for August continued last month.
The Columbus Dispatch says the state compiles the report using data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau. The shutdown is affecting both agencies.
A spokesman for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services says it's not clear when the state report might be released. He says for now, the status is "wait and see."
Economists say the delay creates uncertainty for businesses that depend on the updated data.
Ohio's unemployment rate rose slightly to 7.3 percent in August.
