Local Unemployment Rates Up Slightly in May

The unemployment rate in the Georgia Mountains region rose to 7.3 percent in May, up from 6.9 percent in April.

The rate increased primarily because of the seasonal influx of job seekers into the labor force as new graduates began looking for work.

In Franklin County, the unemployment rate rose in May to 10% – up from 9.4% in April.  Franklin County’s total labor force in May was 9,725 – of that 968 workers were collecting unemployment benefits.

In Hart County, the unemployment rate jumped to 10.6% in May from 9.8% in April. Hart County’s total work force in May stood at 9,777 – of that, 1,038 were looking for work.

Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose a fraction of a percentage point in May to 8.3% – up from 8.2% in April.