Local Unemployment Rates Drop Slightly in September

The unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains region for September was 4.9 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 5 percent in August. The rate in September 2014 was 6 percent.

“This is significantly lower than where we were this time last year. This is a very good drop in the unemployment rate for the Georgia Mountains Region,” noted State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler.

The Georgia Mountains region had the second lowest rate among the 25 local areas. It, and the Gainesville MSA at 4.7 percent, were the only areas below the 5 percent threshold.

The rate declined as the number of unemployed residents decreased by 352 to 14,925 from 15,277 in August.

“We’re seeing more people employed in the Georgia Mountains area,” Butler said. “We did see a slight rise in unemployment claims but there’s no need to panic. Most of those increases came in manufacturing and most of the those initial claims had to do with temporary lay off and are already back to work.”

Locally, the unemployment rate for Franklin County in September was 6.1% – down from 6.6% in August.

Franklin County’s total labor force in September was 8,922 – of that, 548 workers were receiving unemployment benefits.

In Hart County, the unemployment rate last month was also 6.1% – down from 6.5% in August.

Hart County’s total labor force in September stood at 10,136 – of that, 617 workers were on unemployment.