OHIO — Ohio's continued unemployment claims continued to rise last week, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The department said the filings were from Oct. 13 to Oct. 19, but as continued claims grew, the number of initial claims dropped.

Ohioans filed 5,439 initial unemployment claims, 1,851 fewer than the week before. Of these, 584 were flagged for identity verification to avoid fraudulent behavior. 

Meanwhile, residents filed 43,914 continued unemployment claims, 1,061 more than the week before. In total, the state saw 49,353 filings from Oct. 3 to Oct. 19.

In September, the state's unemployment rate was 4.5%, compared to the national rate of 4.1%. The state's rate remained unchanged from August while the national rate dropped from 4.2% to 4.1%. The Buckeye State's labor participation rate was 62.4% for September as well, while the national rate was 62.7%. Ohio's rate grew from 62.3% in August, while the national rate remained the same at 62.7%.