Georgia Unemployment Rate Jumps to 8.3 Percent

Georgia businesses have the largest number of people working since December 2008, but the unemployment rate still rose to 8.3 percent in May.

Last month, 639 people in Cherokee County filed unemployment insurance claims in May, up from 490 initial claims in April. 

The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was up one-tenth of a percentage point from 8.2 percent in April, That was eight-tenths of a percentage point lower than the 9.1 percent rate of May 2012.

“The rate increased primarily because more jobseekers entered the labor force looking for work,” said State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “And, there was a slight increase in layoffs, many of which were temporary.

“Despite the slight increase in the unemployment rate, Georgia employers continued to create jobs for the fourth consecutive month, giving us the largest number of jobs we’ve had since December 2008,” Butler continued. “And, it’s very encouraging that the number of construction jobs has increased for the third consecutive month.”

In May, 177,600 Georgia workers had been jobless for more than 26 weeks, which is the definition of being unemployed long term. Another 500 people joined the ranks of long-term unemployed since April. The long-term unemployed make up 44.2 percent of all unemployed in Georgia.

Locally, the Woodstock Lions Club will hold its 2012 annual job fair next month to help residents find permanent employment. The job fair will be held at 10 a.m. July 16 in the Magnolia Room at First Baptist Church of Woodstock. 

Residents can call (678) 463-8979 or (770) 906-2958 for more information. 

Jobs

Georgia: 4,043,200 in May 2013, up by 15,800 jobs from April 2013

Layoffs

Georgia: 46,882 in May 2013, up by 4,238 layoffs from April 2013

Atlanta MSA: 21,677 in May 2013, up 2,892

Cherokee: 639 in May 2013, up 149