Georgia unemployment increases for fourth straight month, but jobs still being added

Georgia’s unemployment rate rose in August for the fourth month in a row, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.

The state’s jobless rate of 3.6% last month was up two-tenths from July’s 3.4% but still six-tenths lower than the national unemployment rate. However, Georgia continued to set workforce records in August.

“Georgia’s growing labor force and business-friendly economy have kept us at the top as the best to do business for 11 straight years, but our work is far from over,” state Commissioner of Labor Bruce Thompson said Thursday.

“Bold action is needed to ensure every Georgian can benefit from the opportunities created by our job creators. By working together with our business community, we can turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s successes.”

The number of jobs in Georgia increased last month to an all-time high of nearly 5 million. The sectors with the most over-the-month job gains were health care and social assistance, which added 2,900 jobs; private educational services, which increased by 1,700 jobs; and the information sector, including the motion picture and sound recording industries, which added 1,500 jobs.

The labor force also rose to a record high of more than 5.4 million. The labor force participation rate held steady at 61.8%.

On the down side, the number of employed Georgians declined for the first time since last November, to just more than 5.2 million. The number of unemployed increased to 192,612, the highest level since July 2021.

Initial unemployment claims were down by 4,067 in August to 23,198.