The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region increased three-tenths of a percentage point to 7 percent in October, up from 6.7 percent in September.  The rate in October 2015 was 7.2 percent.

The rate rose as the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance, a measure of new layoffs, rose by 943, or 88.2 percent, to 2,012 in October. Most of the increase came in manufacturing and administrative and support services. Over the year, claims were up by 294, or 17.1 percent, from 1,718 in October 2015.

The labor force, which consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed but actively looking for jobs, rose by 1,359 to 117,147. The number of employed residents increased by 897 to 108,924, while the number of unemployed increased by 462 to 8,223, which contributed to the rate hike.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.4 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for October was 5.2 percent, up from 5.1 percent in September. It was 5.5 percent in October 2015.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service, www.employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employers. In October, 964 new job openings in the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 70,200 new job openings 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