Unemployment in Georgia edged above the national jobless rate again last month despite the addition of more than 10,000 jobs across the Peach State so far this year.
The Georgia Department of Labor said today that unemployment in Georgia last month rose by a tenth of a percentage point from January to 3.9 percent last month. Although still below the 4.2 percent rate of a year ago in February 2018, Georgia's unemployment rate has risen in each of the first two months of 2019 and is now slightly above the U.S. rate of 3.8 percent.
Nonetheless, Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said the number of Georgians on the job rose to a record 4.92 million last month - up 97,100 jobs from a year ago.
"We're only two months into the year, but we started 2019 strong," he said. "During what is normally a slow period for Georgia we gained more than 10,000 jobs and boosted the labor force by about 7,000. Those are solid gains."
In the two-month cycle of January and February, Georgia posted gains in jobs, labor force and employed residents.
Georgia reported record job totals in the trade, transportation and utilities sector at 959,800 and in the professional, business services and education sector at 710,400 jobs.
"To see these gains across the board is an indication of the strength of Georgia's economy," Butler said.
Georgia residents filed just under 70,000 claims for unemployment during the first two months of the year.