The Georgia Department of Labor announced on Thursday that the unemployment rate in the Northwest Georgia region in September was 5.3 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 5.2 percent in August. The rate in September 2015 was 5.5 percent.
The rate rose as the labor force and number of new layoffs increased.
The rate rose as the labor force increased by 2,955 to 407,084. The labor force consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed, but actively looking for jobs. While the number of employed increased by 2,597 to 385,533, the number of unemployed also rose by 358 to 21,551, which contributed to the rate hike.
Also, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance, a measure of new layoffs, rose by 212, or 8.3 percent, to 2,764 in September. Most of the increase came in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were up by 214, or 8.4 percent, from 2,550 in September 2015.
Metro Dalton’s unemployment rate in September was 6 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 5.9 percent in August. The rate in September 2015 was also 5.9 percent.
The rate rose as the labor force and number of layoffs increased.
The labor force increased by 491 to 61,525. The labor force consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed, but actively looking for jobs. While the number of employed increased by 453 to 57,857, the number of unemployed also rose by 38 to 3,668, which contributed to the rate hike.
The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 284, or 39.5 percent, to 1,003 in September. Most of the increase came in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were up by 93, or 10.2 percent, from 910 in September 2015.
The number of jobs increased by 100, or 0.2 percent, to 68,400. Most of the job gains came in professional and business services and local government.
Over the year, Dalton lost 100 jobs, a 0.2 percent loss, down from 68,500 in September 2015. Most of the job loss came in textile manufacturing.
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, 4,583 new job openings in the Northwest Georgia region were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 82,056 new job openings were posted.
Local labor market 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.