First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Georgia were up 14.9 percent in May compared to the month before, but they were down 35.4 percent in Gainesville.
In fact, according to state Labor Commissioner Mark Butler, Gainesville was the only metropolitan area in the state to report a decrease in applications during the period.
The biggest increase (69.8 percent) was recorded in Valdosta. Augusta (55.9 percent) and Athens (41.4 percent) rounded out the top three among places showing an increase in the number of claims.
Butler said most of the increases occurred in wholesale and retail trade, health care and social assistance, accommodations and food services, finance and insurance, and professional, scientific, and technical services.
