Georgia unemployment rate reaches all-time low

News

ATLANTA — State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Wednesday that Georgia’s unemployment rate fell in October to tie the state’s all-time low, matching a record set nearly 20 years ago.

That record wasn’t the only one set in October. Georgia also set new highs for jobs and employment. Several job sectors set records as well.

“We had a record-setting month in October and that always stands out,” Butler said. “We tied the record low unemployment rate while at the same time setting new records for employment and jobs.”

Nationally, the unemployment rate climbed in October to 3.6 percent, an increase of 0.1 percentage points. The nation also grew to its labor force by 325,000, increased employment by 241,000 and added more 125,000 jobs.

Georgia’s unemployment rate, meanwhile, fell in October by 0.1 percentage points to 3.4 percent.
That number was last reached in December 2000. Georgia’s rate was as high as 10.6 percent in 2010 due to impacts from the Great Recession. The number has been steadily falling ever since. In fact, it’s been under 4 percent since last summer.

With the record rate, Georgia’s number of unemployed residents fell to under 175,000 – the lowest total in more than 18 years.

“It was 2001 when we last saw the number of unemployed this low in Georgia,” Butler said, “and there were a million fewer people in the work force back then.”

Georgia added 5,400 jobs in October, pushing the total to 4.64 million jobs – a new record for the state. That number is up 72,500 from the same time last year.

Georgia had three job sectors that added at least 2,000 jobs in October:
Leisure/hospitality, 4,400
Education/Health, 3,400
Trade/transportation/utilities, 2,100.

In terms of annual change, five sectors were up more than 5,000:
Education/health services, 23,800
Leisure/hospitality, 20,200
Trade/transportation/utilities, 9,200
Construction, 6,100
Government, 6,100.

With all that job growth, Georgia also set records for the most jobs ever in leisure/hospitality, education/health and financial activities.

In October, the number of employed residents climbed by 12,963 and pushed Georgia’s number of employed to 4.95 million. That’s a new record for Georgia.

Georgia’s labor force also grew in October by 5,479, adding to a total work force of more than 5.1 million. That number was up by 4,107 from the same month a year ago.

At the same time, new claims for unemployment increased in October. The total number of claims filed in October increased by 29 percent. They were down by about 11 percent compared with October 2018.

In October, EmployGeorgia.com noted about 95,000 job postings.

Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers and to connect with us on social media.

Georgia’s Jobless Rate Continues to Drop

News, State & National

Georgia hits 4.5 million job mark in October

State & National

Georgia hits 4.5 million job mark in October

ATLANTA – State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said today that Georgia broke the 4.5- million jobs barrier in October, bouncing back from a job loss due to Hurricane Irma in September.

The state posted 4,510,100 jobs for the month. That preliminary number is higher than Georgia’s previous revised record of 4,497,700 set in August.  In September, Georgia had a temporary setback with a job loss of 3,400.

Georgia also set records in October for labor force and the number of employed residents.

“After the effects of the storm, this month’s numbers are much closer to what we are used to seeing,” Butler said. “All the indicators – job growth, unemployment claims, labor force and employed residents – are trending in the right direction.  October was a great month for a dynamic, growing state like Georgia.”

Monthly numbers can fluctuate due to short-term impacts like Irma and are subject to revisions. The story built over the year, Butler said, gives a clearer picture of the state’s economy and jobs picture because it smooths out short-term shifts seen in monthly reports.

Over the past 12 months, Georgia has added 87,800 jobs, a 2 percent growth rate. The state is outpacing the national job growth rate of 1.4 percent.

In October Georgia posted 15,800 new jobs. Growth came mostly in the private sector including, construction, 5,500 and professional and business services, 5,200. Georgia’s over-the-year job growth came mostly in the private sector. Jobs were added in professional and business services, 24,900; education and health services, 15,300; leisure and hospitality, 14,500; and trade, transportation and warehousing, 11,700.

“It’s important that Georgia is adding jobs,” Butler noted, “but it’s more important that people continue to get them. And, we continue to see both happening.”

In October, the total number of employed residents rose by 20,634 to 4,865,859. There are 173,402 more Georgians employed now than in October 2016.

At the same time, the state’s labor force, which includes the total number of Georgians with jobs and those unemployed but looking for work, rose to 5,085,519, up by 15,123 in October.  The labor force is up by 123,441 since October 2016.

Butler added that the unemployment rate also continues to fall.

The unemployment rate in October was 4.3 percent, down from September’s revised number of 4.4 percent. That compares favorably to last October when the rate was 5.4 percent. The lowest jobless rate ever recorded for the state was 3.4 percent in November 2000.

Monthly unemployment claims were up by 9.6 percent to 27,040. Most of the increase came due to temporary claims filed in manufacturing. However, from October a year ago, unemployment claims were down by 7.9 percent from 29,355.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com, showed 59,231 new job postings statewide for October.

Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers and to connect with us on social media.

DATA FOR THE METRO AREAS ARE ATTACHED, TABLES AND GRAPHS REFLECTING LABOR MARKET DATA ARE AVAILABLE AT http://dol.georgia.gov/current-labor-force-data-and-graphs

NEWS MEDIA NEEDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY CALL (404) 232-3685

GDOL veterans workshop for May scheduled in Toccoa and Cornelia

Community, State & National
May 11, 2017

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) will continue to host its quarterly workshops to help veterans apply for benefits, receive counseling and move into the workforce. Workshops are open to all veterans and their spouses/caregivers.

The first workshop will be held on Tuesday, May 23, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the GDOL’s Toccoa Career Center located at 37 Foreacre St. A second workshop will be held on Thursday, May 25, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the Habersham Career Center located at 215 Hodges St. in Cornelia. Workshops will continue quarterly unless noted otherwise.

Representatives from several agencies will be on hand at the workshops to help with:

  • Job assistance and training
  • Social Security benefits
  • Veterans’ benefits and helpful tips
  • Healthcare information
  • Counseling information
  • Upcoming community veteran events

Veterans should bring a valid identification, including military ID cards and driver’s licenses, along with their resumes.

For additional information about the workshops, contact the Toccoa Career Center at (706) 282-4514 or the Habersham Career Center at (706) 776-0811.

All GDOL career centers provide a wide-range of employment services specifically for veterans. Career centers are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers, and to connect with us on social media.

GDOL to Co-Sponsor Northeast Georgia Career Fair in Cumming

Community

GDOL to co-sponsor Northeast Georgia Career Fair in Cumming

ATLANTA – About 60 employers will be recruiting to fill a number of jobs at the Northeast Georgia Career Fair in Cumming on Oct. 5.

The expo will be co-sponsored by the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL), Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce, WorkSource Georgia Mountains and Lanier Technical College.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Forsyth Conference Center at Lanier Technical College located at 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd. in Cumming.

While GDOL staff will provide workshops to aid the job seekers, local and area employers will be providing information about their companies to job seekers and recruiting qualified applicants for job openings.

Employers will be recruiting for a wide-variety of job openings in a number of fields, including information technology, telemarketing, manufacturing, construction, real estate, food service, banking, medical facilities, retail sales, education, clerical, pharmaceuticals, security, landscaping, commercial (CDL) drivers, and hotel and motel personnel, along with warehouse and other general workers.

The link below provides event details, including the list of currently registered vendors.

http://www.dol.state.ga.us/Access/Service/ListJobFairEmployers?eventIdentifier=2017-08-04-12.54.16.804741

Job seekers interested in attending the expo may visit employgeorgia.com to create an account and upload, or prepare, a resume. Having an Employ Georgia account expedites the interview process.

Applicants are encouraged to dress appropriately to improve their opportunities for jobs.

For more information about the recruitment, contact [email protected]

Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers, and to connect with us on social media.

NEWS MEDIA NEEDING MORE INFORMATION MAY CALL (404) 232-3685

Employment Up, Unemployment Rate Down in Georgia Mountains in August

State & National
Mark Butler | Commissioner David Bennett | Director of Communications

Suite 642
148 Andrew Young International Blvd., NE
Atlanta, GA 30303-1751
(404) 232-3685
[email protected]
dol.georgia.gov
 NOTE: Audio comments from GDOL Communications Director David Bennett are available for download at:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/epe6w23xa6asxu1/Commissioner_Mark_Butler_comments_on_Georgia_Mountains_Aug2017_Local_Job_Market_Report_-_9_20_17%2C_11.mp3

 

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Sept. 21, 2017

 

Employment up, unemployment rate down in Georgia Mountains in August

ATLANTA – State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said today that the Georgia Mountains area’s unemployment and jobs picture looked bright in August.

Butler said Wednesday that in August the unemployment rate was just 4.1 percent, unemployment claims fell and job growth continued to climb.

“The August numbers show the Georgia Mountains’ economy and outlook for employment remains healthy,” said Butler.

The August unemployment rate was down from 4.4 percent in July. A decline of 812 in the labor force contributed to the decline in the monthly rate which can be attributed to school age workers returning to their educational institutions. The August rate compares favorably to last August when the rate was 4.9 percent.

Unemployment claims were down by 32.9 percent to 1,047 – another good sign for the Georgia Mountains’ economy. Claims were down in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were down by 28.9 percent from August 2016.

There were 12,798 more area residents employed than in August 2016.

“Georgia continues to be one of the leaders in job creation and employment,” Butler said. “It’s great to see our employers continue to create jobs, and Georgians going back to work.”.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 2,526 new active job postings in the Georgia Mountains region for August.

Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers and to connect with us on social media.

DATA FOR THE METRO AREAS ARE ATTACHED. TABLES AND GRAPHS REFLECTING LABOR MARKET DATA ARE AVAILABLE AT http://dol.georgia.gov/current-labor-force-data-and-graphs

NEWS MEDIA NEEDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY CALL (404) 232-3685

 

Employment increases in Georgia Mountains, unemployment down in September

News, State & National

Employment increases in Georgia Mountains, unemployment down in September

ATLANTA – State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said today the unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains Region fell in September as the number of employed residents increased and unemployment claims declined.

The September unemployment rate, at 3.6 percent, was down from 4.1 percent in August.  The September rate compares favorably to last September when the rate was 4.8 percent. The rate is one of the lowest in Georgia.

“The combination of a falling unemployment rate and an increase in the number of employed residents shows a region on the rise,” Butler said. “Seeing the number of jobs increase is always a good indicator. However, seeing the number of employed Georgians increase is the ultimate positive result.”

Butler said Wednesday that in September the number of employed residents increased by 4,183 to 327,389. There were 13,435 more employed residents in the area than in September 2016.

Unemployment claims were down by 9.8 percent to 944. Claims were down in manufacturing. When compared to last September, claims were down by 23.2 percent from 1,229.

“Not only is the region producing good jobs, it’s putting people to work,” Butler said. “That’s great to see for the Georgia Mountains.”

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 2,071 new active job postings in the Georgia Mountains region for September.

Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers and to connect with us on social media.

DATA FOR THE METRO AREAS ARE ATTACHED. TABLES AND GRAPHS REFLECTING LABOR MARKET DATA ARE AVAILABLE AT http://dol.georgia.gov/current-labor-force-data-and-graphs

NEWS MEDIA NEEDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY CALL (404) 232-3685

New records set as Georgia’s jobless rate dips to 4.8 percent in June

State & National

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced today that the state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate decreased for the fifth consecutive month to 4.8 percent in June, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 4.9 percent in May. The last time the state recorded a jobless rate as low as 4.8 percent was in September 2007. In June 2016, the rate was 5.3 percent.

“Georgia’s unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in almost 10 years, because our employers continue to create jobs and put record numbers of people to work,” said State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “We now have record highs for the number of employed individuals, the labor force size and total number of jobs in Georgia.”

Employers added 27,400 jobs in June, a 0.6 percent growth rate, which increased the total number of jobs to 4,496,000. The growth more than doubled the average May-to-June increase of 12,100 jobs for the past three years. Job gains came in leisure and hospitality, 9,200; professional and business services, 8,500; other services, such as repair, maintenance, personal and laundry services, 5,700; education and health services, 5,600; state and local government, 2,100; information services, 1,100; and trade, transportation and warehousing and financial activities, 1,000 each. The job gains were offset somewhat by losses in construction, 4,000, and manufacturing, 3,000.

Over-the-year, Georgia gained 122,600 jobs, a 2.8 percent growth rate, up from 4,373,400 in June 2016. The federal job growth rate was 1.6 percent. Georgia’s job growth came in the following employment sectors: professional and business services, 37,400; leisure and hospitality, 21,900; education and health services, 18,100; trade, transportation and warehousing, 17,900; financial activities, 10,000; government, 8,300; information services, 4,500; other services, 3,900; and construction, 2,000. Manufacturing lost 2,500 jobs.

The number of employed residents rose by 8,782 to 4,797,789 from May to June. There were 153,335 more Georgians employed than in June 2016. The number of jobless residents declined by 5,385 to 240,923 in June. There were 18,394 fewer unemployed residents than in June of last year.

The labor force increased by 3,397 to 5,038,712 in June, partially because high school and college students entered the job market. The labor force consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed but actively looking for jobs. The labor force is up by 134,941 from 4,903,771 in June 2016.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance, a measure of new layoffs, increased by 771, or 3.1 percent, to 25,638. The increases came in manufacturing and construction, administrative and support services, accommodations and food services, and educational services, which includes private schools. Over the year, claims were down by 1,657, or 6.1 percent, from 27,295 in June 2016.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com, showed 71,261 new job postings statewide for June.

Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers and to connect with us on social media.

DATA FOR THE METRO AREAS ARE ATTACHED, TABLES AND GRAPHS REFLECTING LABOR MARKET DATA ARE AVAILABLE AT http://dol.georgia.gov/current-labor-force-data-and-grants

NEWS MEDIA NEEDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY CALL (404) 232-3685

Hurricane Irma Impacts State Rate

State & National

Jobs decrease slightly in state, as Hurricane Irma impacts Coastal Georgia

ATLANTA – State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said today that Hurricane Irma caused Georgia’s job numbers to fall and unemployment claims to rise in September.

Butler noted that the state lost about 500 jobs for the month.  Similarly, Georgia also saw nearly 25,000 unemployment claims filed in September. That was a modest increase from the prior month and from September 2016. A 240 percent jump for the month in the coastal region drove the statewide numbers up slightly, the commissioner said.

“Even though the hurricane did have a negative effect on Georgia’s job and unemployment claims numbers, we still had a record month for employment and persons entering the workforce,” Butler said. “This shows the strength of Georgia’s economy and job market.”

Butler noted that even though September’s numbers were impacted by Hurricane Irma those changes were not enough to significantly affect the state’s strong performance over the past 12 months. Georgia added more than 84,000 new jobs during that time, Butler said.

Further, Butler said in September the state jobless rate continued to decline. He reported the September unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, down from 4.7 percent in August. It was last that low in June 2007. The monthly rate compares favorably to last September when the rate was 5.4 percent.

Butler added that employment among the state’s residents was up by 35,649 from August. That’s the largest single-month gain in at least 40 years.  The labor force, which is the number of residents employed and those unemployed but actively looking for work, rose by 25,761, as the number of unemployed declined by 9,888.

“It continues to be a very good year for Georgia’s economy when you look at the whole picture,” Butler said.

With the monthly job loss, Georgia ended September with 4,497,200 total jobs.  Jobs were up 1.9 percent from September 2016.

Most of the over-the-year job growth came in professional and business services, 28,200; leisure and hospitality, 19,200; education and health services, 14,600; and trade, transportation and warehousing, 10,400.

Statewide, unemployment claims were up by 3.6 percent to 24,666, due largely to temporary claims filed in manufacturing and accommodations and food services. Compared to September 2016, claims were up a modest 1.1 percent from 24,403.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 56,210 new active job postings in Georgia for September.

Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers and to connect with us on social media.

DATA FOR THE METRO AREAS ARE ATTACHED, TABLES AND GRAPHS REFLECTING LABOR MARKET DATA ARE AVAILABLE AT http://dol.georgia.gov/current-labor-force-data-and-graphs

NEWS MEDIA NEEDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY CALL (404) 232-3685

Labor Summits Scheduled for North Georgia

News

GAINESVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia Department of Labor will host a series of summits across north Georgia aimed at helping businesses make better use of social media to enhance their businesses.

On Oct. 5, the summit will be held in Gainesville at The Oaks at Lanier Charter Career Academy, 2719 Tumbling Creek Road starting at 9:30 a.m.

Labor Secretary Mark Butler will host the summits which will be conducted by a variety of presenters.

Butler said they will talk about how businesses can use social media to enhance businesses and provide tips on how to leverage it in the right way but will also caution of the pitfalls of how social media can adversely affect businesses and give suggestions of how to use it and leverage it in the right way.

He also said his office has identified an increased number of requests from the business community for more information.  The summits will also give his department a chance to hear directly from business leaders, in order to improve service.

Experts at the summit are also expected to discuss a range of employment and legal issues. Employers will also hear about labor laws and unemployment insurance.

“Not only do we talk about changes and things that the Georgia Department of Labor is doing, but we typically have somebody, a labor attorney, who we also have there at these who gives a talk about changes in federal law.”

 

 

 

Ga. Mountains Region Unemployment 4.7 Percent

News

Georgia Mountains’ unemployment rate declines to 4.7 percent in March
(Georgia Mountains Region includes Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties).

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains region in March was 4.7 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 4.8 percent in February. The rate in March 2015 was 5 percent.

The rate declined as the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased by 736, or 30.9 percent, to 1,645. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing. However, over the year, claims were up by 70, or 4.4 percent, from 1,575 in March 2015.

Also, Georgia Mountains’ labor force increased by 2,873 to 317,587.
Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.5 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha and River Valley regions had the highest at 6.9 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for March was 5.5 percent, up from 5.4 percent in February. It was 6.2 percent in March 2015.

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said job seekers and employers should use the GDOL’s online job listing service, www.employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In March, 2,143 jobs in the Georgia Mountains region were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 78,986 jobs were posted.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.georgia.gov.

To learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers, and to connect with us on social media, visit www.dol.georgia.gov

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