Georgia Mountains’ Unemployment Rate Drops in May

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Georgia Mountains’ unemployment rate decreased in May.

Due to the effects of COVID-19, all regions and counties continue to see stinted yearly growth, yet monthly gains in nearly all major sectors are beginning to spike.

“The fact that almost every single monthly indicator in May’s job market report was positive shows great promise to Georgia’s economy up ahead,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “Seeing these monthly numbers begin to increase means that we are definitely heading back in the right direction.”

In Georgia Mountains, the unemployment rate decreased in May to 7.8 percent, a decrease of 2.8 percentage points. A year ago, the rate was 2.8 percent.

The labor force decreased in May by 712. The May total was 335,931. That number is down by 13,992 from the total from May 2018.

Georgia Mountains ended May with 309,655 employed residents.  The number increased by 8,620 in May and was down 30,343 as compared to last year.

Initial claims for unemployment decreased by 42 percent in May. When compared to last May, claims were up by about 4,123 percent.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 2,545 active job postings in Georgia Mountains for May.

The Georgia Mountains region includes Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties.