Mark Butler, Georgia’s Labor Commissioner, has reported that the state broke records again in August with all-time highs in jobs and employment. In even more positive news from last month’s preliminary numbers from the Georgia Department of Labor, the state added to its labor force for the first time in six months and saw new unemployment claims fall.
Georgia’s unemployment rate was unchanged over the month at 3.6 percent, a decline from 3.8 percent in August 2018. The all-time low of 3.4 percent was set back in December 2000.
The national unemployment rate also stayed the same from July to August at 3.7 percent.
Butler asserts that even though the state’s unemployment rate did not change over the month, numbers behind that rate changed significantly.
Jobs were up statewide by 20,800 in August to push the total to 4.64 million – a new record for the state. That total is up by nearly 85,000 from the same time last year.
In Metro Rome, jobs increased 1,200, or 2.9 percent, over the year to 42,400 in August 2019.
New claims for unemployment decreased across Georgia by 32 percent over the month and by about 10 percent over the year.
Metro Rome’s initial unemployment claims declined by nine, or 3.5 percent, over the year to 246 in August 2019.
Butler adds that while there’s been a lot of talk nationally about a slowdown, there are currently no signs that it will happen in Georgia.
Connect with the Georgia Department of Labor online for more labor market data and information about services for job seekers at www.dol.georgia.gov.