The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in the Northwest Georgia region in May was 4.7 percent, down three-tenths of a percentage point from 5 percent in April. The rate in May 2015 was 6 percent.
The rate declined as the number of employed residents rose by 2,083 and the Northwest Georgia region’s labor force increased by 1,054 to 401,315.
The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 508, or 18.2 percent, to 3,294 in May.
Most of the increase came in manufacturing and health care and social assistance. And, over the year, claims were up by 1,032, or 45.6 percent, from 2,262 in May 2015.
Metro Dalton’s unemployment rate for May was 5.3 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 5.5 percent in April. The rate in May 2015 was 6.6 percent.
The rate declined as employers created more jobs and more people were employed.
The number of jobs increased by 200, or 0.3 percent, to 69,000 in May. Most of the increase came in professional and business services, retail trade, and manufacturing.
Over the year, Dalton gained 1,200 jobs, a 1.8 percent growth rate, up from 67,800 in May 2015. Most of the job gains came in trade, transportation and warehousing, along with manufacturing.
Dalton’s labor force, which consists of people employed and those who are unemployed and actively looking for work, increased by 185 to 60,847. The number of employed people increased by 286, while the number of unemployed workers dropped by 101.
The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 254, or 24.2 percent, to 796 in May. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing. However, over the year, claims were up by 277, or 53.4 percent, from 519 in May 2015.
Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 3.8 percent, while the Heart of Georgia/Altamaha region had the highest at 6.1 percent.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for May was 5.3 percent, down from 5.5 percent in April. It was 5.9 percent in May 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 employees. In May, 2,576 jobs in the Northwest Georgia region were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 63,508 jobs were posted.
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.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