While the unemployment rate rose in the 12-county Georgia Mountains region in June, State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said there's positive news behind the increase.
Butler said in a jobs report issued Thursday morning that more job seekers are entering the market, and that's good news.
"Georgia’s been in an extended growth cycle," said Butler. "In June, our state and local communities added jobs and employed more people."
Nationally, the unemployment rate inched up 0.1 percent points in June to reach 3.7 percent. Georgia’s rate dropped 0.1 percentage points to settle at 3.7 percent. In the region, the June unemployment rate increased by 0.4 percentage points, coming in at 3.3 percent. It was 3.8 percent one year ago.
Butler said the labor force increased in June by 997 to reach 351,602 total members. The number has climbed by 3,151 over the past 12 months.
The Georgia Mountains region lost 357 employed residents in June, bringing its total to 339,948. That number has grown by 4,632 over the past year.
Georgia Mountains also lowered unemployment claims for the month and the year across the 12-county region.
Initial claims for unemployment went down by about 20 percent in June. They are down by about 11 percent when compared to last June.
Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 2,027 active job postings in the Georgia Mountains region for June.
The Georgia Mountains region includes Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties.
