Jan. 26, 2017
ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced today that the unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains region in December was 4.5 percent, up two-tenths of a percentage point from 4.3 percent in November. In December 2015, the rate was 4.4 percent.

The rate rose as the number of unemployed residents, labor force and number of new layoffs increased.

There were 571 more unemployed residents and the labor force grew by 1,221 to 329,144. The labor force consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed, but actively looking for jobs.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 335, or 21.3 percent, to 1,905 in December. Most of the increase came in manufacturing and construction, trade, transportation and warehousing, and administrative and support services. Over the year, claims were down by 1,017, or 34.8 percent, from 2,922 in December 2015.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.2 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha and River Valley regions had the highest at 6.6 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for December was 5.4 percent, up from 5.3 percent in November. It was 5.5 percent in December 2015.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service, employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employers. In December, 1,937 new job openings in the Georgia Mountains region were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 57,920 new job openings were posted.

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

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.

DATA FOR THE METRO AREAS ARE ATTACHED, TABLES AND GRAPHS REFLECTING LABOR MARKET DATA ARE AVAILABLE AT http://dol.georgia.gov/current-labor-force-data-and-graphs

NEWS MEDIA NEEDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY CALL (404) 232-3685

Sept. 22, 2016

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains region in August was 4.6 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 4.8 percent in July. The rate in August 2015 was 5 percent.

The rate fell as employers laid off fewer workers. The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 1,065 or 42 percent, to 1,472 in August. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing and administrative and support services, which includes temporary staffing agencies. Over the year, claims were up by 254, or 20.9 percent, from 1,218 in August 2015.

Also, the labor force in the Georgia Mountains region, which consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed, but actively looking for jobs, declined by 2,128 to 322,453 in August. The number of employed residents decreased by 1,274 to 307,690, while the number of unemployed fell by 854 to 14,763.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.4 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 6.6 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for August was 4.9 percent, down from 5 percent in July. It was 5.6 percent in August 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 August, 2,060 new job openings in the Georgia Mountains region were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 62,839 new job openings were posted.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available atwww.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

DATA FOR THE METRO AREAS ARE ATTACHED, TABLES AND GRAPHS REFLECTING LABOR MARKET DATA ARE AVAILABLE AT http://dol.georgia.gov/current-labor-force-data-and-graphs

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

ATLANTA – State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said today that a business summit called Employers In The Know will be held in Gainesville on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The summit is one in a series of 12 being held throughout the state. This is the third year the summits have been offered to employers.

The summits, which help employers learn how to better understand and conquer compliance challenges in the workplace, are sponsored by the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) and local employer committees.  This one is cosponsored by the Gainesville Area Employer Committee.

The Gainesville summit will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Oaks at Lanier Charter Career Academy located at 2719 Tumbling Creek Road.

“We began holding these seminars because employers throughout the state told us they needed better access to information,” Butler said. “At these seminars, the employers get up-to-date information and the opportunity to network with other employers.  And, as a state agency, we get value from hearing directly from the employers, so we can improve and better serve them.”

Employers are encouraged to pre-register by Wednesday, Sept. 28, but may register at the event. To pre-register, visit www.dol.georgia.gov , look in the Spotlight Section and link to 2016 Regional Business Summits. If pre-registered, the cost to attend is $40 per person, which includes lunch. After Sept. 28, the cost is $50.

Commissioner Butler will discuss current GDOL initiatives and programs designed to encourage job growth and economic development throughout the state. The GDOL provides labor market data necessary for economic developers and businesses to make sound decisions about starting or expanding businesses. The GDOL helps match employers with qualified job seekers, as well as helping job seekers be successful in securing jobs and developing their careers.

Additional experts will discuss a range of employment and legal issues of importance to employers. Other parts of the program include presentations on labor laws, unemployment insurance, and how to use social media to make businesses more profitable.

Recertification credits (3.75) have been approved by the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI).

For more information about the summit, or to request registration forms, contact [email protected]or call (404) 272-4470.

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

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains region in October was 4.5 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 4.6 percent in September. The rate in October 2015 was 4.8 percent. The rate declined as the number of employed residents increased by 1,709 to 311,933.

The labor force, which consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed, but actively looking for jobs, rose by 1,736 to 326,777. The number of unemployed increased by 27 to 14,844.

Initial claims for unemployment insurance, a measure of new layoffs, rose by 427, or 34.7 percent, to 1,656 in October. Most of the increase came in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were up by 242, or 17.1 percent, from 1,414 in October 2015.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.4 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for October was 5.2 percent, up from 5.1 percent in September. It was 5.5 percent in October 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 October, 2,523 new job openings in the Georgia Mountains region were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 70,200 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

DATA FOR THE METRO AREAS ARE ATTACHED, TABLES AND GRAPHS REFLECTING LABOR MARKET DATA ARE AVAILBLE AT http://dol.georgia.gov/current-labor-force-data-and-graphs

Aug. 18, 2016

ATLANTA – Officials from the Georgia Department of Labor, University of North Georgia and Hall County Schools will hold a press conference on Thursday, Sept. 1, to discuss the upcoming launch of a new school-to-career transition program in northeast Georgia. They will be joined by representatives from AT&T and Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG).

The press conference will be held at 10 a.m. in the Johnson High School Media Center. The school is located at 3305 Poplar Springs Road in Gainesville.

More information about the event will be forthcoming.

Oct. 3, 2016

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) will host its monthly workshop to help veterans apply for benefits, receive counseling and move into the workforce. Workshops are open to all veterans and their spouses/caregivers.

The first workshop will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 18, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the GDOL’s Toccoa Career Center located at 37 Foreacre St in Toccoa. A second workshop will be held on Thursday, Oct. 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Habersham Career Center located at 215 Hodges St. in Cornelia. Workshops will continue monthly, the second to last Tuesday and Thursday unless otherwise noted.

Representatives from several agencies will be on hand at the workshops to help with:

• Job assistance and training
• Social security benefits
• Veterans’ benefits and helpful tips
• Healthcare information
• Counseling information
• Upcoming community veteran events

Veterans should bring valid identification, including military ID cards and driver’s licenses, along with their resumes.

For additional information about the workshops, contact the Toccoa Career Center at (706) 282-4514, or the Habersham Career Center at (706) 776-0811.

All GDOL career centers provide a wide-range of employment services specifically for veterans. Career centers are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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

NEWS MEDIA NEEDING MORE INFORMATION MAY CALL (404) 232-3685

There is more encouraging news in Georgia’s latest job market report. Watch and learn what Labor Commissioner Mark Butler says about the latest developments affecting the state’s job seekers and employers.