Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Middle Georgia saw an over-the-month and over-the-year decrease in its initial claims in May.
“This is a step in the right direction, but we need to continue to get Georgians back to work,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “Increasing the amount of people in our labor force is critical for us to continue to improve.”
In Middle Georgia, the unemployment rate remained unchanged, staying at 4 percent. A year ago, the rate was 8.1 percent.
The labor force decreased in May by 903. The May total was 221,647. That number is up by 6,233 from the total from May 2020.
Middle Georgia ended May with 212,813 employed residents. The number decreased by 932 in May and was up 14,759 as compared to last year.
Initial claims for unemployment decreased by 15 percent in May. When compared to last May, claims were down by about 86 percent.
The GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 7,074 active job postings in Middle Georgia for May.
