Georgia sees slight rise in unemployment

By Dave Williams

Bureau Chief

Capitol Beat News Service

ATLANTA – Georgia’s unemployment rate rose slightly last month to 3.3%, up from 3.2% in May, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.

Commissioner of Labor Bruce Thompson said joblessness typically rises during the summer when school is out.

“Our students infuse our workforce with new talent and energy each summer,” he said. “While this may temporarily increase seasonal unemployment, the fresh skills and enthusiasm these young workers bring to the local economy are key to cultivating an economy that’s built to last.”

Thompson noted that Georgia’s jobless rate in June still was eight-tenths of a point lower than the national unemployment rate.

The state continued to set records in the employment space, with the number of jobs ticking up by 0.2% last month. Georgia’s labor force increased by 15,502 to nearly 5.4 million, while the number of employed Georgians rose by 8,493 to more than 5.2 million.

The job sectors posting the largest over-the-month gains included health care and social assistance, which added 3,200 jobs, and transportation and warehousing, which added 3,000 jobs.

Jobs in administrative and support services and in local government were down in June, by 1,700 and 1,300 jobs, respectively.

Initial unemployment claims increased last month by 9% to 21,867. But over the year, first-time jobless claims declined by 7%.