Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Northeast Georgia’s unemployment rate decreased in August.

Additionally, Northeast Georgia saw a monthly a monthly decrease in initial claims for August.

“It is very promising that we continue to see the unemployment rate drop month after month, while the job market gets stronger, evoking positive news for Georgia’s economy,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “The state as a whole is leading the nation in competitive unemployment rates, coming in at 7^th lowest.” 

In Northeast Georgia, the unemployment rate decreased by 1.9 percentage points, dropping the rate to 4.8 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.5 percent. 

The labor force decreased in August by 6,581. The August total was 290,392. That number is down by 12,800 from the total from August 2019.

Northeast Georgia ended August with 276,318 employed residents.  The number decreased by 724 in August but was down 16,370 as compared to last year. 

Initial claims for unemployment decreased by 51 percent in August. When compared to last August, claims were up by about 823 percent. 

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 5,075 active job postings in Northeast Georgia for August.

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