All GA Regional Commissions see rise in August unemployment rates

GEORGIA – Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said that all Regional Commissions recorded a rise in unemployment rates in August.

“As we look toward the fall, we are committed to supporting the workforce as employers search for seasonal, full-time, and part-time employees to fill vacancies in preparation for the holiday employment season,” Butler said in a press rlease.

The labor force rose in the Coastal Georgia Regional Commission and Georgia Mountains Regional Commission. 

Employment was down in all Regional Commissions. 

Claims dropped in the Atlanta Regional Commission, Central Savannah River Regional Commission,  Coastal Georgia Regional Commission, Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, Heart of Georgia Regional Commission, Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, Northwest Georgia Regional Commission, Southern Georgia Regional Commission, and Three Rivers Regional Commission.

In the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, which includes Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Walton counties, the August preliminary unemployment rate was up two-tenths to 2.8 % over the month. The rate was 3.4 % one year ago.

• The labor force was down 1,213 over the month and up 8,967 over the year to 324,188.
• The number of employed was down 1,915 over the month and up 10,385 over the year to 314,960.
• Initial claims were down 283 (-22%) over the month and down 839 (-45%) over the year, to 1,000.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Manufacturing and Trade, and down over the year in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
• There were 6,089 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

In the Atlanta Regional Commission, which includes Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties, the August preliminary unemployment rate was up two-tenths to 3.0 over the month. The rate was 4.0 percent one year ago.

• The labor force was down 12,132 over the month and up 186,563 over the year to 2,635,540.
• The number of employed was down 16,463 over the month and up 206,334 over the year to 2,556,290.
• Initial claims were down 379 (-3%) over the month and down 9,126 (-45%) over the year to 11,028.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Transportation and Warehousing and Retail Trade, and down over the year in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
• There were 72,198 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia, and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers, and to connect with us on social media.