Georgia Mountains Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly in December

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that all 12 regional commissions in the state recorded increases in unemployment rates.

In the Georgia Mountains Region, which includes Franklin, Hart, and Stephens Counties, the December preliminary unemployment rate was up two-tenths to 1.9 percent, the rate was 3.9 percent one year ago.

Initial claims for unemployment were up 14% in December.  Most of those claims were in the Manufacturing, Hospitality, and Food Service industries.

According to Butler, there are 4,242 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.com.

Butler said his department’s focus in 2022 is encouraging people to enter the workforce in order to help businesses provide the goods and services necessary for Georgia’s economy to continue to grow.