The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the unemployment rate in the Northwest Georgia region was 6.4 percent in November, down six-tenths of a percentage point from 7.0 percent in October. The rate in November of last year was also 7.0 percent.
The rate fell as new layoffs, measured by initial unemployment insurance (UI) claims, dropped to 3,179 in November, a decrease of 328, or 9.4 percent, from 3,507 in October. Most of the decrease in claims came in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were down by 327, or 9.3 percent, from 3,506 filed in November 2013.
Metro Dalton’s unemployment rate for November was 8.4 percent, down four-tenths of a percentage point from 8.8 percent in October. The rate in November of last year was 9.3 percent.
The rate fell as the number of unemployed people in the area declined by 280 to 4,720 in November, down from 5,000 in October. And, new layoffs, measured by initial unemployment insurance (UI) claims dropped to 1,125, a decrease of 172, or 13.3 percent, from 1,297 in October. Most of the decrease in claims came in manufacturing and administrative and support services. Over the year, claims were down by 57, or 4.8 percent, from 1,182 filed in November 2013.
However, Metro Dalton lost 200 jobs in November. The total number of jobs decreased to 63,600, down from 63,800, or 0.3 percent, from October. Most of the jobs lost were because of temporary seasonal layoffs in the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.
And, there was an over-the-year loss of 400 jobs, or 0.6 percent, from 64,000 in November 2013. Most of the job loss came in manufacturing, wholesale trade and warehousing, and local government.
Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.0 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 9.0 percent.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for November was 7.2 percent, down from a revised 7.6 percent in October. The decrease was the largest over-the-month drop on record and large enough to move Georgia’s jobless rate out of last place among all states.
Georgia continues to be a national leader in job growth, adding 23,400 new jobs in November and 98,800 since November 2013. This pushed the job total to 4,192,600, the largest number since 4,202,100 in December 2007. Georgia ranks fifth among states in job creation.