The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) released area jobless rates for June on Thursday morning, reporting that Metro Gainesville’s unemployment rate in June was 4.3 percent, up four-tenths of a percentage point from 3.9 percent in May. In June 2016, the rate was 4.7 percent.
Despite the increase, the Gainesville metro continued to have the lowest unemployment rate of any metro area in Georgia.
The rate rose as the number of unemployed residents increased as the labor force grew, there was a loss of jobs, and an increase in layoffs as measured by initial claims for unemployment insurance.
The number of unemployed increased by 389 to 4,238. There were 294 fewer unemployed than in June 2016.
The labor force increased, partially because high school and college students entered the job market. From May to June, the labor force, which consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed and actively looking for jobs, increased by 146 to 99,483. Compared to June a year ago, the labor force had a net increase of 3,944.
There were 243 fewer Metro Gainesville residents employed in June than in May, lowering the total number to 95,245. However, there was an increase of 4,238 in the number of employed residents from 91,007 in June 2016.
The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance increased by 141, or 40.2 percent, to 492. Most of the increase came in trade, transportation and warehousing, along with administrative and support services and construction. Over the year, claims were down by 149, or 23.2 percent, from 641 in June 2016.
The number of jobs in Metro Gainesville decreased by 400, or 0.4 percent, to 89,500. The job losses came in trade, transportation and warehousing, along with state government, and the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.
However, over-the-year, a total of 3,500 jobs were added, a 4.1 percent growth rate, up from 86,000 in June 2016. The job growth came in the service industries, state and local government, and the goods-producing sector.
While Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.3 percent, the River Valley region had the highest at 6.4 percent.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for June was 4.8 percent, down from 4.9 percent in May. It was 5.3 percent in June 2016.
Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In June, 1,125 new job openings in Gainesville were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 71,261 new job openings were posted.
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at dol.georgia.gov
