The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the unemployment rate in the Northwest Georgia region decreased to 8.3 percent in August, down 1.1 percent from 9.4 percent in July. The rate was also 9.4 percent in August a year ago.
The rate dropped because there was a significant reduction in layoffs. There were 3,085 new layoffs, represented by initial claims for unemployment insurance, which are 3,201, or 50.9 percent, fewer than the 6,286 in July. Much of the decline came in manufacturing, with additional reductions in administrative and support services, construction, health care and social assistance, and accommodations and food services.
The labor force, which is the number of people employed plus those unemployed but actively looking for work, declined by 6,808 to 408,269 in August, down from 415,077 in July. And, it was also down by 4,591 from 412,860 in August 2012.
Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 6.1 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 11.9 percent.
Metro Dalton’s unemployment rate decreased to 10.3 percent in August, down 2.0 percent from 12.3 percent in July. The rate was 11.4 percent in August a year ago.
The rate dropped because there was a significant reduction in layoffs and an increase in the number of jobs.
There were 825 new layoffs, represented by initial claims for unemployment insurance, which are 1,459, or 63.9 percent, fewer than the 2,284 in July. Much of the decline came in manufacturing, with additional reductions in administrative and support services and transportation and warehousing.
Over-the-year, the number of initial claims was down by 201, or 19.6 percent, from 1,026 in August 2012. Reductions were mostly in manufacturing, trade, finance and insurance, and administrative support services.
There were 62,900 jobs in metro Dalton in August, up by 300, or five-tenths of a percentage point, from 62,600 in July. The increase came mostly in the goods-producing sector, including manufacturing and construction, along with state government.
Metro Dalton lost 200 jobs, or 0.3 percent, since August 2012 when there were 63,100. The losses were mostly in textile manufacturing.
The labor force, which is the number of people employed plus those unemployed but actively looking for work, declined by 1,684 to 57,938 in August, down from 59,622 in July. And, it was also down by 1,500 from 59,438 in August 2012.
Over-the-year, the number of initial claims was down by 998, or 24.4 percent, from 4,083 in August 2012. Reductions were mostly in manufacturing, construction, trade, transportation and warehousing, professional and technical services, and administrative and support services.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for August was 8.7 percent, down from 8.8 percent in July. The rate was 9.0 percent in August a year ago.
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.state.ga.us
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