Southern GA adds to labor force in October

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Southern Georgia region added to its labor force in October.

At the same time, the annual and monthly numbers for employed residents increased in October, preliminary numbers for the 18-county region showed.

“October was a great month for Georgia and our local communities,” Butler said. “We continued to create jobs and people gained employment – often at record numbers.”

Nationally, the unemployment rate climbed in October to 3.6 percent, an increase of 0.1 percentage points. The nation also grew to its labor force by 325,000, increased employment by 241,000 and added more 125,000 jobs.

Georgia’s unemployment rate, meanwhile, fell in October by 0.1 percentage points to 3.4 percent. That tied Georgia’s all-time low set in December of 2000.

Rates fell or held steady across nine of Georgia’s 12 planning regions. Seven set or tied a record for lowest rate ever.

In the region, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage points in October, settling at 3.3 percent. A year ago, the rate was 4 percent.

The labor force in Southern Georgia increased by 938 in October, bringing the total to 178,785. The number has decreased by 437 when compared to the same month a year ago.

Southern Georgia added 692 employed residents in October, bringing the total to 172,817. The number is up 747 for the year.

Claims for unemployment insurance were up by about 26 percent in October. They were down by about 16 percent when compared to the same month a year ago.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 1,330 active job postings in Southern Georgia for October.

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