First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Gainesville and most of Georgia were down in June, compared to a year ago.
State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler says, statewide, applications, led by Dalton, were down 6.1 percent. Dalton showed a decrease of 40.8 percent, while in Gainesville, the reduction was 23.2 percent.
Athens (1.4 percent) was one of four metro areas in the state where the number of claims increased. The biggest increase was in Columbus, 35.1 percent.
Meanwhile, Butler also reports that claims were up from a month ago, statewide, by 3.1 percent. The increases came in manufacturing and construction, administrative and support services, accommodations and food services, and educational services, which includes private schools.
