Georgia Regional Commissions See Rise in October Unemployment Rates and Labor Force

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said recently that all Regional Commissions recorded a rise in unemployment rates in October.

“Job seekers have continued to experience a favorable hiring environment across multiple job sectors, despite a slight uptick in unemployment rates,” said Commissioner Butler. “As we prepare for peak holiday hiring, we encourage job seekers to take advantage of the many employment opportunities, both full-time and part-time, available across Georgia.”

The labor force rose in all Regional Commissions.

Employment rose in the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, and Southwest Georgia Regional Commission.

Claims were down in the Atlanta Regional Commission, Central Savannah River Regional Commission, Georgia Mountains Regional Commission,  Middle Georgia Regional Commission, Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, River Valley Regional Commission, and Southwest Georgia Regional Commission.

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 October preliminary unemployment rate was up three-tenths to 2.9 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.4 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 6,591 o-t-m and up 177,877 o-t-y, to 2,652,900.
• The number of employed was down 2,980 o-t-m and up 183,750 o-t-y, to 2,575,435.
• Initial claims were down 526 (-6%) o-t-m and down 2,421 (-23%) o-t-y, to 8,141.
• Initial claims were down o-t-m in Transportation and Warehousing and Finance and Insurance, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Construction.
• There were 72,241 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The October preliminary unemployment rate was up four-tenths to 3.8 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.7 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 330 o-t-m and down 1,380 o-t-y, to 207,605.
• The number of employed was down 566 o-t-m and down 1,489 o-t-y, to 199,753.
• Initial claims were down 144 (-14%) o-t-m and down 91 (-9%) o-t-y, to 909.
• Initial claims were down o-t-m in Trade and Administrative and Support Services, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Administrative and Support Services.
• There were 5,767 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The October preliminary unemployment rate was up four-tenths to 3.0 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.2 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 1,316 o-t-m and up 2,556 o-t-y, to 344,344.
• The number of employed was down 300 o-t-m and up 3,211 o-t-y, to 333,918.
• Initial claims were down 92 (-9%) o-t-m and down 200 (-17%) o-t-y, to 953.
• Initial claims were down o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Administrative and Support Services.
• There were 10,091 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The October preliminary unemployment rate was up five-tenths to 2.7 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.4 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 1,333 o-t-m and down 126,343 o-t-y, to 239,692.
• The number of employed was up 89 o-t-m and down 123,859 o-t-y, to 233,227.
• Initial claims were down 114 (-16%) o-t-m, and up 1 (0%) o-t-y, to 611.
• Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Wholesale Trade, and up o-t-y in Manufacturing and Transportation and Warehousing.

• There were 3,830 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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 October preliminary unemployment rate was up four-tenths to 3.6 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.6 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 443 o-t-m and down 666 o-t-y, to 117,356.
• The number of employed was down 25 o-t-m and down 638 o-t-y, to 113,189.
• Initial claims were up 275 (50%) o-t-m, and up 98 (14%) o-t-y, to 823.
• Initial claims were up o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Manufacturing, and up o-t-y in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services.
• There were 1,017 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The October preliminary unemployment rate was up five-tenths to 3.4 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.7 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 371 o-t-m and down 2,023 o-t-y, to 219,746.
• The number of employed was down 710 o-t-m and down 1,385 o-t-y, to 212,197.
• Initial claims were down 304 (-21%) o-t-m and down 1,178 (-51%) o-t-y, to 1,138.
• Initial claims were down o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Manufacturing and Retail Trade.
• There were 5,373 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The October preliminary unemployment rate was up five-tenths to 2.8 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.8 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 1,926 o-t-m and up 7,502 o-t-y, to 328,198.
• The number of employed was up 369 o-t-m and up 7,410 o-t-y, to 319,006.
• Initial claims were down 221 (-23%) o-t-m and down 247 (-25%) o-t-y, to 726.
• Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Trade, and down o-t-y in Construction and Retail Trade.
• There were 6,322 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The October preliminary unemployment rate was up five-tenths to 3.0 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.9 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 1,262 o-t-m and up 2,885 o-t-y, to 430,737.
• The number of employed was down 1,300 o-t-m and up 2,030 o-t-y, to 417,631.
• Initial claims were up 638 (23%) o-t-m and up 1,888 (123%) o-t-y, to 3,427.

• Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Trade, and up o-t-y in Wholesale Trade and Manufacturing.
• There were 5,022 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The October preliminary unemployment rate was up five-tenths to 4.1 percent o-t-m, the rate was 4.9 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 297 o-t-m and down 1,861 o-t-y, to 143,992.
• The number of employed was down 334 o-t-m and down 573 o-t-y, to 138,123.
• Initial claims were down 223 (-23%) o-t-m and down 2,400 (-77%) o-t-y, to 729.
• Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Accommodation and Food Services, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Manufacturing.
• There were 3,508 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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 October preliminary unemployment rate was up six-tenths to 3.3 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.2 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 844 o-t-m and down 1,005 o-t-y, to 179,706.
• The number of employed was down 185 o-t-m and down 1,063 o-t-y, to 173,848.
• Initial claims were up 111 (17%) o-t-m and down 272 (-26%) o-t-y, to 761.
• Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Construction, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Health Care and Social Assistance.
• There were 1,038 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The October preliminary unemployment rate was up four-tenths to 3.5 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.7 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 928 o-t-m and up 484 o-t-y, to 147,966.
• The number of employed was up 366 o-t-m and up 847 o-t-y, to 142,843.
• Initial claims were down 217 (-27%) o-t-m and down 380 (-40%) o-t-y, to 577.
• Initial claims were down o-t-m in Trade and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Construction and Retail Trade.
• There were 1,691 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The October preliminary unemployment rate was up four-tenths to 2.9 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.2 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 922 o-t-m and up 4,488 o-t-y, to 258,852.
• The number of employed was down 185 o-t-m and up 5,093 o-t-y, to 251,334.
• Initial claims were up 55 (5%) o-t-m and down 89 (-7%) o-t-y, to 1,124.
• Initial claims were up o-t-m in Transportation and Warehousing and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Administrative and Support Services.
• There were 3,536 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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