Local Unemployment Numbers Rise Slightly in July

The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains region in July was 5.6 percent, up two-tenths of a percentage point from 5.4 percent in June. The rate in July 2014 was 7.2 percent.

The rate rose as the number of unemployed residents increased by 623 to 17,341. The number of unemployed residents in July 2014 was 22,043.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.5 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.3 percent.

In Franklin County, the unemployment rate in July stood at 7.3% up from 6.9% in June.  Franklin County’s total labor force in July totaled 8,996 – of that, 653 workers were out of a job.

In Hart County, July’s unemployment rate was listed at 7.1% from 6.7% in June.  Hart County’s total labor force last month was 10,250 – of that, 731 workers were receiving unemployment benefits.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for July was 6.0 percent, down from 6.1 percent in June. It was 7.2 percent in July 2014.

Over-the-year, the number of jobs in Georgia grew by 2.1 percent, from 4,162,800 in July 2014. The national job-growth rate was also 2.1 percent. Most of the job growth in Georgia came in trade, transportation and warehousing, 32,200; leisure and hospitality, 20,300; professional and business services, 20,200; health care and social assistance, 14,100; manufacturing, 4,400; financial activities, 2,900; and construction, 400. Government lost 2,800 jobs.

“I encourage job seekers and employers to use EmployGeorgia, our new job listing service, where more than 77,000 job openings in Georgia were posted in July,” said State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler.

Visit www.employgeorgia.com to learn more about EmployGeorgia and to post or search for jobs.