Ohio’s unemployment rate has dropped for the second straight month, though the state continued to lose jobs. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said Friday that joblessness fell to 10.1 percent in September, from 10.8 percent in August.

Officials say the rate is declining because more job seekers are giving up and dropping out of the labor force. The number of workers unemployed in Ohio last month was 594,000, down from 641,000 in August.

But nonfarm payroll employment also fell, by 5,900. Department Director Douglas Lumpkin says the state saw further job losses in both goods-producing industries and services. September’s 10.1 percent unemployment was up from 6.8 percent a year ago.

For 2007, 2008 and 2009 the ranges of Ohio unemployment tax rates (also known as contribution rates) are as follows:

2007 2008 2009
Lowest Experience Rate 0.4% 0.5% 0.7%
Highest Experience Rate 9.0% 9.2% 9.4%
Mutualized Rate 0.1% 0.2% 0.4%
New Employer Rate 2.7% 2.7% 2.7% *except construction
*Construction Industry 5.0% 5.8% 5.8%
Delinquency Rate 11.3% 11.5% 11.8%