As recent applications for unemployment have skyrocketed in Georgia amid the coronavirus outbreak, the Georgia Department of Labor released metro and regional jobs reports for February, knowing that March will likely look very different.
Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Gainesville metro added to its labor force in February and also showed an increase in employment for the month and for the year.
The unemployment rate remained unchanged in February, staying at 2.8 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.1 percent.
The labor force increased in February by 645 and ended the month with 103,789. That number is up 1,856 when compared to February of 2019. Gainesville ended February with 93,800 jobs. That number increased by 400 from January to February and increased by 1,100 over the year.
Gainesville finished the month with 100,933 employed residents. That number increased by 659 over the month and is up by a significant 2,201 when compared to the same time a year ago.
The 13-county Georgia Mountains region also set two records for February, according to Thursday's reports - one for the labor force and the other for employment.
The Georgia Mountains region gained 2,110 employed residents in February, bringing its total to 345,398, an all-time high. That number has grown by 6,188 over the past year. The labor force increased in February by 2,218 to reach 356,039 total members, an all-time high. The number has climbed by 5,249 over the past 12 months.
The Georgia Mountains region includes Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union and White counties.
