First time unemployment claims down in June

GAINESVILLE - The first month of summer brought with it a nearly 30 percent decline in the number of initial unemployment insurance claims in metro Gainesville.

The state Labor Department Commissioner Michael Thurmond says the decline of 29.4 percent was the third largest in the state in June, behind only Rome and Savannah.

In raw numbers, that means 362 claims were filed during the month.

Statewide, they were down 3.2 percent - mostly in the service industries.

Thurmond says that 34,275 laid-off workers filed first-time claims for unemployment insurance benefits around the state in June, down 3.2 percent from May. The claims were down mostly in the service industries.

Initial claims were also down from 34,450 filed in June 2005 for an over-the-year
decrease of one-half of one percent. Initial claims are considered to be a leading
economic indicator, because they measure newly laid-off workers.

The 14 metro areas of the state and the changes in their initial claims from May to
June are as follows:

- Albany, down 164, or 16.3 percent, from 1,009 to 845.
- Athens, down 26, or 5.5 percent, from 471 to 445.
- Atlanta, down 503, or 3.2 percent, from 15,800 to 15,297.
- Augusta, up 20, or 1.3 percent, from 1,582 to 1,602.
- Brunswick, up six, or 2.2 percent, from 278 to 284.
- Columbus, down 137, or 14.3 percent, from 957 to 820.
- Dalton, down 187, or 16.7 percent, from 1,117 to 930.
- Gainesville, down 151, or 29.4 percent, from 513 to 362.
- Hinesville, up 36, or 21.7 percent, from 166 to 202.
- Macon, down 133, or 11.1 percent, from 1,200 to 1,067.
- Rome, down 154, or 30.3 percent, from 508 to 354.
- Savannah, up 341, or 41.5 percent, from 821 to 1,162.
- Valdosta, down 47, or 8.9 percent, from 531 to 484.
- Warner Robins, down 59, or 15.9 percent, from 371 to 312.