Nearly one in 10 people in Washington County who wanted a job at the beginning of the year were unemployed, according to labor statistics released Tuesday.
The figures show Washington County's jobless rate has doubled within the past year - and the number will likely grow as layoffs begin this month at two area manufacturing plants.
Statewide, the unemployment average rose to 8.8 percent for January, the highest rate in 23 years. The January figures are the most recent available.
Washington County's jobless rate in January climbed to 9.3 percent from 6.3 percent in December. The county posted a jobless rate of 4.6 percent in May.
Kathy Lott-Gramkow, director of employment and training for Washington/Morgan Community Action, said the stalling economy is finally catching up with area companies and workers.
"Washington County has always been among the last to be affected (by changes in the economy)," she said. "I think we're buffered a bit. The automobile industry has really taken a hit, and it is finally starting to hit the suppliers (in our area)."
Beginning this month, Eramet Marietta and Americas Styrenics, formerly known as Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., will eliminate 170 jobs. Both companies announced the layoffs earlier this year.
Those job losses at the plants are not reflected in the most recent jobless statistics.
Joy Frank-Collins, spokeswoman for Eramet Marietta, said the failing auto and building industries have forced the layoffs.
"Basically, anything made with steel most likely has Eramet products in it," she said.
Eramet is one of the few facilities in the world that produces manganese, a substance that hardens steel.
"It makes steel harder, lighter and stronger," Frank-Collins said.
Eramet plans to cut 110 jobs over the next few months. The company currently has 362 employees.
Ivin Rohrer, human resources manager at Americas Styrenics, said 21 of the planned 60 cuts at the plant will take place this month. The company currently has about 153 employees.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, issued a statement Tuesday in response to the spiking jobless rates. He said economic recovery could be coming in the form of stimulus dollars.
"Thankfully, we passed critical economic recovery legislation this month that will provide Ohio with more than $8 billion in federal funds," Brown said in the statement. "These funds will support job-creating infrastructure and green energy projects while also providing extended unemployment insurance and health coverage for unemployed workers. The next step is stabilizing the housing market and the banking industry."
Lott-Gramkow agreed stimulus projects could be a significant factor in getting people back to work.
"A lot depends on what will happen with the stimulus money," she said. "I don't think it is going to be a cure-all, but rather a Band-Aid on a big problem. It's probably too early to know what kinds of things are going to be affected."
