ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday morning that the unemployment rate in the Northeast Georgia region in January was 5.1 percent, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 4.8 percent in December. The rate in January 2015 was 6.2 percent.
The rate rose as the number of employed workers fell by 1,640 to 266,403.
Also, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance increased by 646, or 30.5 percent, to 2,764 in January. Most of the increase came in manufacturing, administrative and support services, construction and wholesale trade. However, over the year, claims were down by 196, or 6.6 percent, from 2,960 in January 2015.
Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.5 percent, according to State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler.
The number of jobs in Gainesville decreased to 84,400, down by 1,700, or 2 percent, from 86,100 in December. Most of the decrease came in trade, transportation and warehousing, along with the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.
However, over the year, Gainesville gained 3,500 jobs, a 4.3 percent growth rate, up from 80,900 in January 2015. Most of the job gains came in retail trade and the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and transportation.
Metro Dalton had the highest unemployment rate at 7.2 percent.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for January was 5.4 percent, down from 5.5 percent in December. It was 6.3 percent in January 2015.
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/3/376327/jobless-rate-rises-for-ne-georgia-gainesville-metro-in-january