Georgia jobless claims rise to 7-year high

Jobless claims in Georgia last month jumped by the biggest yearly amount since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack, the Georgia Department of Labor announced today.

The state jobs agency said that 59,090 laid-off workers filed first-time claims for unemployment insurance benefits last month, an increase of 72.1 percent from August of 2007.

In Dalton, Ga., the number of persons filing for jobless benefits in August jumped by 53.4 percent in the past year from 1,010 in August, 2007 to 1,549 last month.

“Throughout the state, tens of thousands of hardworking Georgians are being laid off because of deteriorating economic conditions,” State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said today.

During the past year, layoffs have come across-the-board in manufacturing, construction, trade and services. The total number of Georgians receiving unemployment insurance benefits was up 39 percent over the year, from 57,704 in August of 2007 to 80,150 in August of 2008.