Dept of Labor: All GA Regional Commissions See a Drop in Unemployment Rate

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that all regional commissions in the state recorded a decrease in the unemployment rate and in the number of initial claims filed.

“We are seeing all-time low unemployment rates throughout the state of Georgia reflecting an economy that is continuing to rapidly recover,” said Commissioner Mark Butler. “We are working with employers across the state to post, recruit, and fill critical positions in preparation for a strong holiday employment season.”

The labor force increased in the Atlanta Regional Commission, GA Mountains, Northeast GA, and Northwest GA Commission.

Employment was up in the Atlanta Regional Commission, Coastal GA, GA Mountains, Middle GA, Northeast GA, Northwest GA, River Valley, and Three Rivers Commission.

Please see a synopsis of each regional commission below:

Atlanta Regional Commission – Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties.

• The September preliminary unemployment rate was down seven-tenths to 2.6 percent over the month. The rate was 7.3 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 3,513 over the month and up 96,410 over the year to 2,446,386.
• The number of employed was up 19,214 over the month and up 205,251 over the year to 2,382,639.
• Initial claims were down 9,065 (-46%) over the month and down 88,658 (-89%) over the year to 10,785.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Accommodation and Food Services and Administrative and Support Services, and down over the year in Administrative and Support Services and Accommodation and Food Services.
• There were 69,835 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down seven-tenths to 2.9 percent over the month. The rate was 6.0 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 2,005 over the month and up 4,061 over the year to 207,112.
• The number of employed was down 464 over the month and up 10,336 over the year to 201,191.
• Initial claims were down 794 (-39%) over the month and down 6,419 (-84%) over the year to 1,228.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Administrative and Support Services and Manufacturing, and down over the year in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
• There were 5,389 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The September preliminary unemployment rate was down seven-tenths to 2.4 percent over the month. The rate was 6.3 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 1,608 over the month and up 18,348 over the year to 341,548.
• The number of employed was up 647 over the month and up 30,435 over the year to 333,227.
• Initial claims were down 1,139 (-43%) over the month and down 11,592 (-89%) over the year to 1,488.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Accommodation and Food Services and Arts, Entertainment and Recreation, and down over the year in Accommodation and Food Services and Trade.
• There were 7,762 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down five-tenths to 1.8 percent over the month. The rate was 4.0 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 407 over the month and up 20,128 over the year to 358,340.
• The number of employed was up 2,268 over the month and up 27,312 over the year to 351,946.
• Initial claims were down 515 (-39%) over the month, and down 7,879 (-91%) over the year to 817.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services, and down over the year in Manufacturing and Accommodation and Food Services.

• There were 3,939 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down eight-tenths to 2.7 percent over the month. The rate was 5.6 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 1,795 over the month and up 2,525 over the year to 116,333.
• The number of employed was down 813 over the month and up 5,747 over the year to 113,204.
• Initial claims were down 652 (-48%) over the month, and down 3,263 (-82%) over the year to 696.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Administrative and Support Services and Manufacturing, and down over the year in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
• There were 1,182 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The September preliminary unemployment rate was down seven-tenths to 2.5 percent over the month. The rate was 5.9 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 761 over the month and up 8,546 over the year to 220,087.
• The number of employed was up 824 over the month and up 15,541 over the year to 214,496.
• Initial claims were down 1,340 (-52%) over the month and down 7,121 (-85%) over the year to 1,264.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Administrative and Support Services and Manufacturing, and down over the year in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
• There were 4,930 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The September preliminary unemployment rate was down five-tenths to 2.2 percent over the month. The rate was 5.2 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 1,255 over the month and up 15,980 over the year to 311,607.
• The number of employed was up 2,983 over the month and up 24,599 over the year to 304,822.
• Initial claims were down 730 (-40%) over the month and down 9,357 (-89%) over the year to 1,109.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Accommodation and Food Services and Trade, and down over the year in Health Care and Social Assistance and Accommodation and Food Services.
• There were 6,683 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down six-tenths to 2.1 percent over the month. The rate was 4.8 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 690 over the month and up 20,379 over the year to 421,921.
• The number of employed was up 2,899 over the month and up 30,680 over the year to 412,925.
• Initial claims were down 412 (-16%) over the month and down 12,417 (-85%) over the year to 2,179.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services, and down over the year in Manufacturing and Accommodation and Food Services.

• There were 4,909 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down nine-tenths to 3.4 percent over the month. The rate was 7.1 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 1,330 over the month and up 2,333 over the year to 143,559.
• The number of employed was up 113 over the month and up 7,606 over the year to 138,749.
• Initial claims were down 2,539 (-57%) over the month and down 5,073 (-72%) over the year to 1,939.

• Initial claims were down over the month in Other Services (except Public Administration) and Manufacturing, and down over the year in Health Care and Social Assistance and Accommodation and Food Services.
• There were 3,870 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down seven-tenths to 2.3 percent over the month. The rate was 5.3 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 1,731 over the month and up 6,601 over the year to 180,235.
• The number of employed was down 474 over the month and up 11,614 over the year to 176,036.
• Initial claims were down 890 (-51%) over the month and down 5,847 (-87%) over the year to 843.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Accommodation and Food Services and Health Care and Social Assistance, and down over the year in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
• There were 1,453 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 September preliminary unemployment rate was down eight-tenths to 2.8 percent over the month. The rate was 6.3 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 2,386 over the month and up 1,745 over the year to 144,163.
• The number of employed was down 1,198 over the month and up 6,649 over the year to 140,076.
• Initial claims were down 771 (-45%) over the month and down 5,141 (-85%) over the year to 939.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Transportation and Warehousing and Accommodation and Food Services, and down over the year in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
• There were 1,570 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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

• The September preliminary unemployment rate was down seven-tenths to 2.4 percent over the month. The rate was 6.2 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was down 153 over the month and up 10,869 over the year to 250,053.
• The number of employed was up 1,388 over the month and up 19,581 over the year to 243,942.
• Initial claims were down 47 (-2%) over the month and down 7,757 (-78%) over the year to 2,165.
• Initial claims were down over the month in Accommodation and Food Services and Trade, and down over the year in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
• There were 3,715 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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