Ga DOL: Regional Commissions See Drop in April Unemployment Rates

Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson reports that all Regional Commissions show a drop in unemployment rates in April:

“With Georgia’s economy continuing to soar, the state unemployment rates remain steady,” said Commissioner Bruce Thompson. “When you consider the number of existing companies expanding throughout the state combined with the incredible announcements of corporations moving to our state, the future continues to look very bright for the labor market. “As we approach the summer months, we are optimistic that job growth will remain steady in virtually every sector in the state.”

The labor force was down in all Regional Commissions except the Central Savannah River Regional Commission and the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission.

Employment was up in all Regional Commissions except for the Atlanta Regional Commission, Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, Northwest Georgia Regional Commission, and the Three Rivers Regional Commission.

In April, initial unemployment claims increased in all Regional Commissions except for the River Valley Regional Commissioner, which experienced a drop.

Please see a synopsis of each regional commission below:

o-t-m – over the month

o-t-y – over the year

Atlanta Regional Commission – Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties.

• The unemployment rate was down five-tenths to 2.7 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.5 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 22,346 o-t-m and up 49,797 o-t-y, to 2,661,618.
• The number of employed was down 7,010 o-t-m and up 43,412 o-t-y, to 2,589,926.
• Initial claims were up 911 (9%) o-t-m and up 2,803 (33%) o-t-y, to 11,290.

Central Savannah River Regional Commission – Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington, and Wilkes counties.

• The unemployment rate was down six-tenths to 3.5 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.1 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 857 o-t-m and down 1,256 o-t-y, to 208,018.
• The number of employed was up 2,177 o-t-m and down 2,086 o-t-y, to 200,789.
• Initial claims were up 125 (13%) o-t-m and up 225 (26%) o-t-y, to 1,109.

Coastal Georgia Regional Commission – Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Screven counties.

• The unemployment rate was down six-tenths to 2.6 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.6 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 2,357 o-t-m and up 2,986 o-t-y, to 346,534.
• The number of employed was up 50 o-t-m and up 2,933 o-t-y, to 337,677, an all-time high.
• Initial claims were up 115 (12%) o-t-m and up 129 (13%) o-t-y, to 1,097.

Georgia Mountains Regional Commission – Banks, Dawson, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties.

• The unemployment rate was down seven-tenths to 2.2 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.1 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 2,197 o-t-m and up 2,508 o-t-y, to 243,606.
• The number of employed was down 533 o-t-m and up 2,139 o-t-y, to 238,260.
• Initial claims were up 47 (8%) o-t-m, and up 253 (66%) o-t-y, to 637.

Heart of Georgia – Altamaha Regional Commission – Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler, and Wilcox counties.

• The unemployment rate was down eight-tenths to 3.2 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.9 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 563 o-t-m and down 498 o-t-y, to 117,643.
• The number of employed was up 370 o-t-m and down 808 o-t-y, to 113,855.
• Initial claims were up 609 (112%) o-t-m, and up 665 (136%) o-t-y, to 1,155.

Middle Georgia Regional Commission – Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Pulaski, Putnam, Twiggs, and Wilkinson counties.

• The unemployment rate was down seven-tenths to 2.9 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.8 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 1,596 o-t-m and up 1,385 o-t-y, to 218,023.
• The number of employed was up 53 o-t-m and up 1,139 o-t-y, to 211,667.
• Initial claims were up 153 (20%) o-t-m and up 203 (28%) o-t-y, to 937.

Northeast Georgia Regional Commission – Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Walton counties.

• The unemployment rate was down six-tenths to 2.5 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.3 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 3,380 o-t-m and up 4,650 o-t-y, to 325,121.
• The number of employed was down 1,154 o-t-m and up 3,967 o-t-y, to 317,040.
• Initial claims were up 80 (9%) o-t-m and up 201 (25%) o-t-y, to 1,004.

Northwest Georgia Regional Commission – Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties.

• The unemployment rate was down five-tenths to 2.8 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.5 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 3,569 o-t-m and up 7,754 o-t-y, to 433,568.
• The number of employed was down 1,418 o-t-m and up 5,995 o-t-y, to 421,372.
• Initial claims were up 1,035 (35%) o-t-m and up 2,653 (195%) o-t-y, to 4,016.

River Valley Regional Commission – Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, and Webster counties.

• The unemployment rate was down eight-tenths to 3.4 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.4 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 674 o-t-m and up 3,505 o-t-y, to 146,332.
• The number of employed was up 548 o-t-m and up 3,290 o-t-y, to 141,325.
• Initial claims were down 112 (-14%) o-t-m and up 68 (11%) o-t-y, to 691.

Southern Georgia Regional Commission – Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, Turner, and Ware counties.

• The unemployment rate was down eight-tenths to 2.8 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.6 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 738 o-t-m and down 586 o-t-y, to 180,177.
• The number of employed was up 603 o-t-m and down 953 o-t-y, to 175,075.
• Initial claims were up 65 (10%) o-t-m and up 140 (25%) o-t-y, to 697.

Southwest Georgia Regional Commission – Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth counties.

• The unemployment rate was down seven-tenths to 3.0 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.0 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 133 o-t-m and down 1,278 o-t-y, to 146,347.
• The number of employed was up 1,196 o-t-m and down 1,228 o-t-y, to 142,014.
• Initial claims were up 33 (6%) o-t-m and down 54 (-9%) o-t-y, to 559.

Three Rivers Regional Commission – Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, and Upson counties.

• The unemployment rate was down six-tenths to 2.6 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.5 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 2,383 o-t-m and up 2,951 o-t-y, to 257,781.
• The number of employed was down 821 o-t-m and up 2,373 o-t-y, to 250,951.
• Initial claims were up 146 (15%) o-t-m and up 345 (45%) o-t-y, to 1,117.