Local Unemployment Rates Reach 2008 Levels

The unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains region in November was 4.4 percent, down four-tenths of a percentage point from 4.8 percent in October. The rate in November 2014 was 5.4 percent.

“At 4.4 percent, Georgia Mountains’ rate is at its lowest point since April 2008 when it also was 4.4 percent,” according to State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “The rate declined as the number of employed residents increased by 2,509 to 294,255 from 291,746 in October.”

At the same time, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 619, or 43.8 percent, to 2,033 in November.

“Most of the increase came in manufacturing, with many of the claims being temporary,” Butler said. “And many of those workers have already gone back to work.”

Over the year, claims were up by 488, or 31.6 percent, from 1,545 in November 2014.

Locally the November unemployment rates were also good.

In Franklin County, the unemployment rate in November was 5.4% down from 5.7% in October.

Franklin County’s labor force last month stood at 9,364 – of that, 506 workers were on unemployment.

In Hart County, the numbers were also lower for November.

Hart County’s unemployment rate in November was 5.5% – down from 6% in October.

Hart County’s labor force last month was 10,410 – of that, 573 workers were receiving unemployment benefits.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for November was 5.6 percent, down from 5.7 percent in October. It was 6.7 percent in November 2014.