Ohio Labor Surplus Areas (LSA)
October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027
Eleven areas in Ohio are included on the latest Labor Surplus Area (LSA) listing, as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
Labor Surplus Area listings are used when deciding the recipients of federal government contracts. These areas have preference for contracts awarded under the federal procurement process. Struggling business and organizations receive extra consideration when their township, city, or county appears on the LSA list.
The reference period used in preparing the current list was January 2024 through December 2025. The national average unemployment rate (including Puerto Rico) during this period is rounded to 4.16 percent. Twenty percent higher than the national unemployment rate during this period is rounded to 5 percent. Since 5 percent is below the minimum 6.0 percent, a civil jurisdiction must have a two-year unemployment rate of 6.0 percent or higher in order to be classified an LSA.
The Department of Labor issues the LSA listing on a fiscal year basis. The current list of LSAs will be in effect from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
For more information, please visit ‘Labor Surplus Area’ at the Employment and Training Administration website.
