Ohio Labor Surplus Areas (LSA)

One area in Ohio is 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.

To qualify as an LSA, an area (city, township, county, or balance of county) must have an unemployment rate that is higher than 1.2 times the national average during the reference period. The current reference period is January 2023 through December 2024, which had a national average unemployment rate (including Puerto Rico) of 3.84 percent. Areas must have a two-year unemployment rate of 6.00 percent or higher to be classified as an LSA for fiscal year 2026.

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, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Below is a list of Ohio’s current LSAs.

For more information, please visit ‘Labor Surplus Area’ at the Employment and Training Administration website.