Layoffs drove increases in unemployment claims in Texas, Ohio and Michigan earlier this month just as the three states are embroiled in crucial U.S. Senate races building up to the November 3 midterm elections. Ohio recorded the largest spike in initial unemployment claims in the country for the week ending October 10, with an increase of 3,918, according to the U.S.
Texas recorded an increase of 1,721 and Michigan saw an additional 1,195 claims. State officials attributed the increases to layoffs. Manufacturing employment losses hit Ohio and Michigan, while Texas pointed to workforce cuts across transportation and warehousing, accommodation, information and food services.
All three states are preparing for a major U.S. Senate election, and the economy and jobs are central to the campaigns. Traditionally, most issues tend to be local, with federal policies having relatively little direct impact,” Kevin Thompson, CEO of 9i Capital Group and host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek.
The increase in claims in several states reflects America’s larger uneven labor market, experts say. Layoffs are hitting particular industries even as unemployment filings remain relatively low nationally. Tennessee's claims rose by 3,477, with the state citing layoffs in educational services and manufacturing.
Pennsylvania recorded an increase of 1,954 and attributed it to cuts across several industries, including professional and technical services and healthcare. California's claims rose by 1,758. This does not match the larger state of unemployment in America.
For the week ending October 17, initial nationwide unemployment claims dropped to 194,000, and the four-week moving average declined to 197,750. At the same time, continued unemployment claims rose by 25,000 to 1.728 million for the week ending October 10. That creates a mixed picture heading into the midterms.
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