The Georgia Department of Labor announced that Metro Dalton’s unemployment rate for April was 5.5 percent, down 1.3 percent from 6.8 percent in March. This is the largest April rate decrease among the 26 local areas in the state. The rate in Dalton in April 2015 was 6.6 percent.
The rate declined as employers created more jobs and laid off fewer workers.
The number of jobs increased by 300, or 0.4 percent, to 68,800 in April. Most of the increase came in professional and business services, along with trade, transportation and warehousing.
Over the year, Dalton gained 1,500 jobs, a 2.2 percent growth rate, up from 67,300 in April 2015.
Most of the job gains came in the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction, along with trade, transportation and warehousing and local government.
The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 950, or 47.5 percent, to 1,050 in April. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing. However, over the year, claims were up by 117, or 12.5 percent, from 933 in April 2015.
Also, Dalton’s labor force decreased by 1,134 to 60,627.
Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.2 percent, while the River Valley region had the highest at 6.4 percent.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for April was 5.5 percent, unchanged from March. It was 6.1 percent in April 2015.
State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said job seekers and employers should use the GDOL’s online job listing service,
www.employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In April, 502 jobs in Dalton were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 71,092 jobs were posted.