Unemployment in Georgia rose two tenths of a percentage point last month to 5.1 percent, the Georgia Department of Labor said today.
The rise in joblessness reflects the biggest monthly influx of workers into Georgia since the early 1990s( as the workorce of those looking for jobs grew far faster than the 18,100 jobs added across the Peach State in September. Georgia 's jobless rate in September was a tenth of a percentage point higher than the U.S. rate of 5 percent.
"In September, we had the largest increase in our labor force we've seen in nearly a quarter of a century," Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said.. "While having 25,737 Georgians begin looking for work in the same month caused a slight increase in the unemployment rate, it's really good news because almost three-quarters of them landed a job right away."
The labor force, which consists of employed people and those who are unemployed but actively looking for jobs, grew by 25,737 to 4,918,505 in September. The state's labor force has grown by 134,082 since the beginning of the year. The number of employed Georgians grew by 18,669 to 4,669,747.
The number of jobs increased by 18,100, or 0.4 percent, to 4,403,400 in September. Most of the gains came in professional and business services, 7,300; government, 3,400; leisure and hospitality, 2,900; financial activities and other services, 1,500 each and construction, 1,300. The job gains were offset somewhat by losses in education and health services, 800, and trade, transportation and warehousing, 100.