State Unemployment Rate Drops Below 10 Percent

For the first time in two years, Georgia’s unemployment rate has dipped into the single digits.

Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 9.9 percent in April down slightly from a revised 10 percent in March.

According to State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler, April was the third consecutive month of job growth in the state.

“This developing trend shows increasing confidence in the economy,” Butler said in a released statement.

Payroll jobs last month increased 30,100 from March and 2,200 from April 2010. The number of long-term unemployed Georgians fell 2.6 percent, but remains 18.4 percent higher than April of 2010. This group of people account for 55.1 percent of Georgia’s jobless workers.

First time unemployment claims rose 8 percent in April, but showed a 10.4 decrease from April 2010.

For 43 consecutive months, Georgia’s unemployment rate has exceeded the national unemployment rate. That rate currently stands at 9 percent. Prior to last month, the last time the state’s rate was below 10 percent was in June 2009.