Oct. 27, 2016

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains region in September was 4.6 percent, unchanged from August. The rate in September 2015 was 4.7 percent.

While the rate is unchanged, the labor force increased by 1,199 to 324,900. The labor force consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed, but actively looking for jobs. While the number of employed increased by 1,086 to 310,037, the number of unemployed also rose by 113 to 14,863.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 243, or 16.5 percent, to 1,229 in September. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing, along with administrative and support services and several other service-related industries. Over the year, claims were down by 444, or 26.5 percent, from 1,673 in September 2015.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.4 percent, while the Heart of Georgia- Altamaha region had the highest at 6.7 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for September was 5.1 percent, up from 4.9 percent in August. It was 5.6 percent in September 2015.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service, www.employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employers. In September, 3,035 new job openings in the Georgia Mountains region were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 82.056 new job openings were posted.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.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, visit www.dol.georgia.gov