GA Regional Commissions See Mostly Steady March Unemployment Rates

Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson said Thursday that almost all Regional Commissions reported unchanged unemployment rates in March. The Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, Heart of Georgia Regional Commission, and River Valley Regional Commission reported slight rises in unemployment rates.

“In addition to consistently low unemployment numbers, Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson celebrated 100 days in office on April 22, 2023. During this time, the commissioner’s administration has been laser-focused on modernizing the department’s UI system and operations, which will expedite claims and reduce fraud.”

“This past week, our agency reached an important milestone – 100 days in office,” said Commissioner Bruce Thompson. “Although we continue enjoying record-low unemployment numbers and jobs at an all-time high, our team is laser-focused on meeting future demands. It’s not a matter of if claims will increase, but when. The agency’s new efficiency measures and progress toward modernization will ensure we are ready and well-positioned to help Georgians when they need it most.”

The labor force rose in all Regional Commissions.

Employment was up in all Regional Commissions except for the Central Savannah River Regional Commission.

In March, initial unemployment claims decreased in all Regional Commissions except for the River Valley Regional Commissioner and Southwest Georgia Regional Commission, which experienced a rise.

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, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties.

• The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.2 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.9 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 16,169 o-t-m and up 47,302 o-t-y, to 2,685,706, an all-time high.
• The number of employed was up 14,623 o-t-m and up 36,773 o-t-y, to 2,598,658, an all-time high.
• Initial claims were down 270 (-3%) o-t-m and up 1,410 (16%) o-t-y, to 10,379.

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

• The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.5 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 34 o-t-m and down 2,067 o-t-y, to 206,658.
• The number of employed was down 93 o-t-m and down 3,263 o-t-y, to 198,109.
• Initial claims were down 156 (-14%) o-t-m and up 87 (10%) o-t-y, to 984.

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

• The unemployment rate remained unchanged to 3.2 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.0 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 1,672 o-t-m and up 2,220 o-t-y, to 348,025, an all-time high.
• The number of employed was up 1,392 o-t-m and up 1,409 o-t-y, to 336,746, an all-time high.
• Initial claims were down 39 (-4%) o-t-m and down 45 (-4%) o-t-y, to 982.

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

• The unemployment rate was up one-tenth to 2.9 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.6 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 1,239 o-t-m and up 3,573 o-t-y, to 245,772, an all-time high.
• The number of employed was up 1,129 o-t-m and up 2,832 o-t-y, to 238,746, an all-time high.
• Initial claims were down 91 (-13%) o-t-m, and up 128 (28%) o-t-y, to 590.

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 up one-tenth to 4.0 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.4 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 203 o-t-m and down 618 o-t-y, to 118,083.
• The number of employed was up 75 o-t-m and down 1,267 o-t-y, to 113,361.
• Initial claims were down 37 (-6%) o-t-m, and up 51 (10%) o-t-y, to 546.

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

• The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.6 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.3 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 984 o-t-m and up 693 o-t-y, to 219,409.
• The number of employed was up 792 o-t-m and down 97 o-t-y, to 211,407.
• Initial claims were down 83 (-10%) o-t-m and down 28 (-3%) o-t-y, to 784.

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

• The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.1 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.8 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 1,995 o-t-m and up 4,704 o-t-y, to 328,603, an all-time high.
• The number of employed was up 1,674 o-t-m and up 3,459 o-t-y, to 318,274, an all-time high.
• Initial claims were down 65 (-7%) o-t-m and up 56 (7%) o-t-y, to 924.

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

• The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.3 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.9 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 2,383 o-t-m and up 6,466 o-t-y, to 437,005, an all-time high.
• The number of employed was up 2,260 o-t-m and up 4,522 o-t-y, to 422,658, an all-time high.
• Initial claims were down 182 (-6%) o-t-m and up 1,194 (67%) o-t-y, to 2,981.

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 up one-tenth to 4.2 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.8 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 542 o-t-m and up 2,428 o-t-y, to 146,845.
• The number of employed was up 375 o-t-m and up 1,749 o-t-y, to 140,609.
• Initial claims were up 117 (17%) o-t-m and up 91 (13%) o-t-y, to 803.

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 remained unchanged at 3.6 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.1 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 491 o-t-m and down 1,273 o-t-y, to 180,737.
• The number of employed was up 531 o-t-m and down 2,080 o-t-y, to 174,298.
• Initial claims were down 180 (-22%) o-t-m and down 10 (-2%) o-t-y, to 632.

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

• The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.4 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 168 o-t-m and down 2,475 o-t-y, to 146,264.
• The number of employed was up 223 o-t-m and down 2,797 o-t-y, to 140,861.
• Initial claims were up 20 (4%) o-t-m and down 352 (-40%) o-t-y, to 526.

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

• The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.2 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.9 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 1,295 o-t-m and up 2,919 o-t-y, to 260,271, an all-time high.
• The number of employed was up 1,168 o-t-m and up 2,039 o-t-y, to 251,877, an all-time high.
• Initial claims were down 143 (-13%) o-t-m and up 171 (21%) o-t-y, to 971.