Northwest Georgia’s Unemployment Rate Declines To 6.2 Percent In March

Metro Dalton’s Rate Declines To 7.0 Percent

  • Thursday, April 23, 2015

The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the unemployment rate in the Northwest Georgia region for March was 6.2 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 6.3 percent in February. The rate in March 2014 was 7.3 percent.

The rate declined as the number of unemployed residents decreased by 580 to 24,450 from 25,030 in February.

However, there were 261, or 7.0 percent, more new claims for unemployment insurance filed in March, as the number increased to 3,980 from 3,719 in February. Most of the increase in claims came in temporary claims filed in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were up 446, or 12.6 percent, from 3,534 filed in March 2014.

Metro Dalton’s unemployment rate for March was 7.0 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 7.1 percent in February. The rate in March 2014 was 8.5 percent.

The rate declined as employers created more jobs. The number of jobs increased by 400, or 0.6 percent, in March to 68,400 from 68,000 in February. Most of the job gain came in trade, transportation and warehousing, manufacturing, professional and business services, and local government.

And, there was an over-the-year gain of 3,000 jobs, or 4.6 percent, from 65,400 in March 2014. Most of the job growth came in manufacturing, trade, transportation and warehousing, and professional and business services.

However, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 189, or 14.8 percent, to 1,466 in March, which is up from 1,277 in February. Most of the increase was due to temporary claims filed in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were up by 470, or 47.2 percent, from 996 filed in March 2014.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.9 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7.8 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for March was 6.3 percent, unchanged from February. It was 7.3 percent in March 2014.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available atwww.gdol.ga.gov Connect with us on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter @GeorgiaDOL, which can be easily accessed via our website at www.gdol.ga.gov.

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