The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the unemployment rate in the Northwest Georgia region was 6.4 percent in February, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 6.6 percent in January. The rate in February 2014 was 7.7 percent.
The rate declined as employers laid off 5,911 fewer workers in February. There were 3,719 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in February, a decrease of 61.4 percent, from 9,630 in January. Most of the decrease in claims came in manufacturing, administrative and support services, wholesale and retail trade, and construction. Over the year, claims were down by 3,127, or 45.7 percent, from 6,846 filed in February 2014.
Metro Dalton’s unemployment rate for February was 7.1 percent, down eight-tenths of a percentage point from 7.9 percent in January. The rate in February 2014 was 9.0 percent.
The rate declined as employers created more jobs and laid off fewer workers.
The number of jobs increased by 200, or 0.3 percent, to 68,000 in February from 67,800 in January. Most of the job gain came in textile manufacturing and state government.
And, there was an over-the-year gain of 3,600 jobs, or 5.6 percent, from 64,400 in February 2014. Most of the job gain came in textile manufacturing, trade, transportation and warehousing, and professional and business services.
There were 2,737, or 68.2 percent, fewer new claims for unemployment insurance filed in February, as the number decreased to 1,277 from 4,014 in January. Most of the decrease in claims came in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were down by 1,332, or 51.1 percent, from 2,609 filed in February 2014.
Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.1 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.1 percent.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for February was 6.3 percent, down from 6.4 percent in January. It was 7.3 percent in February 2014.
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.gdol.ga.gov.