The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced today that the unemployment rate in the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region in November was 6.3 percent, down nine-tenths of a percentage point from 7.2 percent in October. The rate in November 2015 was 6.8 percent.
The rate declined as the number of employed residents increased and employers had fewer new layoffs.
The number of employed residents increased by 1,541 to 110,459. The labor force, which consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed, but actively looking for jobs, increased by 509 to 117,903. The number of unemployed residents declined by 1,032 to 7,444.
The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 556, or 27.6 percent, to 1,456 in November. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing and administrative and support services. Over the year, claims were down by 1,600, or 52.4 percent, from 3,056 in November 2015.
Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.1 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 6.3 percent.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for November was 5.3 percent, up from 5.2 percent in October. It was 5.5 percent in November 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 November, 900 new job openings in the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 62,905 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