State Jobless Rate Rises

Georgia’s jobless rate rose two-tenths of a percent last month to a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 10.1 percent.

According to State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler, most of the July increase could be attributed to traditional seasonal layoffs with roughly 80 percent of the job losses in state and local education jobs.

In total, Georgia lost 30,200 jobs in July including 24,500 in government and education, 2,200 in business services and 1,800 in construction. For the first time in 18 years, the state added manufacturing jobs with a gain of 1,400 in July.

“Manufacturing has been a very weak sector, but we’re starting to see some increases in hiring,” said Butler in a released statement. “We’re getting a lot of inquiries from manufacturers who are looking to expand or relocate here, which is always a good sign.”

Butler indicated Georgia’s pro-business environment will help create jobs, but unrest in Washington is hindering the process.

“I believe the recent lack of leadership in Washington is a contributing factor to the overall lack of confidence in the economy,” Butler said. “Due to this lack of confidence, we are seeing a business community which is hesitant to make further investments in this economy.”

As of July, the number of long-term unemployed remains 9.1 percent higher than the 230,100 in July of last year. These workers account for 53 percent of Georgia’s jobless workforce. The number of long-term unemployed workers increased in July for the first time in five months. The total now stands at 251,100.

First time claims for unemployment insurance benefits also rose to 61,570, up 2,589 or 4.4 percent from June. The overall number was down 9.6 percent from July of last year.

For 48 consecutive months, Georgia has exceeded the national unemployment rate which is currently 9.1 percent.