Local Unemployment Rates Dip Slightly in August

The unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains region in August was 6.9 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 7.1 percent in July. The rate in August of last year was 6.8 percent.

The August rate decreased primarily the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance, a measure of new layoffs, decreased by 17.8 percent in August.

There were 1,573 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in August, a decrease of 341 from 1,914 in July. Most of the decrease in claims came in administrative services, health care and social assistance, accommodations and food services, and construction. Over the year, claims were down 17.6 percent from the 1,909 claims filed in August 2013.

In Franklin County, the unemployment rate for August was 8.9% – down from 9.7% in July.

Franklin County’s total labor force in August stood at 9,758 of that, 864 workers were collecting unemployment benefits.

In Hart County, the unemployment rate dropped from 10.1% in July to 9.8% in August.  Hart County’s total workforce in August was 9,816 – of that, 959 workers were out of a job.