COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The job market continues to deteriorate in the Buckeye State.
New unemployment figures released Friday show Ohio's unemployment rate jumped to 9.4 percent in February -- up more than half a percent from January's mark at 8.8 percent.
The news comes as Congress appears set to approve a massive expansion of the Americorps program.
Will the rough economy encourage more people to seek lower-paying community service positions?
The give act passed by the U.S. House of Representatives this week would more than triple the number of Americorps service positions in 2010. The Senate is set to vote on a similar bill next week.
Ohio currently has more than 600 Americorps workers, with 150 serving in Central Ohio. The majority are full-time Americorps members and earn an $11,800 stipend, as well as health care benefits and, upon completion of the program, a college tuition credit of more than $4,700.
Two Americorps members told NBC 4 they’re staying for a second year in the service program, and have friends drawn to volunteer even more so by the economy.
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