The unemployment rate in the Northeast Georgia region in July was 5.2 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 5.4 percent in June, according to the monthly report from the Georgia Department of Labor. The rate in July 2015 was 6.1 percent. Numbers were released Thursday morning.
The rate fell as the number of employed residents grew by 1,832 to 275,411. At the same time, the number of unemployed residents fell by 486 to 15,105. The labor force, which consists of employed people and those who are unemployed but actively looking for jobs, grew by 1,346 to 290,516 in July.
The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 372, or 29.4 percent, to 1,636 in July. Most of the increase came in manufacturing and administrative and support services, which includes temporary staffing agencies. However, over the year, claims were down by 130, or 7.4 percent, from 1,766 in July 2015.
Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.6 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7 percent.
While the rate for Gainesville was unchanged, the number of employed residents grew by 270 to 92,084. At the same time, the number of unemployed residents fell by 61 to 4,392. The labor force, which consists of employed people and those who are unemployed but actively looking for jobs, grew by 209 to 96,476 in July.
The number of jobs decreased by 700, or 0.8 percent, to 86,500. Most of the job losses came in local government, including the public schools which were on summer break.
However, over the year, Gainesville gained 2,700 jobs, a 3.2 percent growth rate, up from 83,800 in July 2015. Most of the job gains came in the service industries, which includes trade, transportation and warehousing, and the goods-producing industries, which includes manufacturing and construction.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for July was 5 percent, down from 5.1 percent in June. It was 5.7 percent in July 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 July, 2,674 new job openings in the Northeast Georgia region were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 69,064 new job openings were posted.
