Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Middle Georgia region’s unemployment rate dropped again in July.
 
At the same time, the 10-county area saw its labor force shrink and the number of employed slip.  All major indicators remain positive for the year.
 
“Georgia continues to be in a period of sustained growth,” Butler said. “There are no indicators in July that Georgia is going to slow down anytime soon. These seasonal dips are normal for this time of year and are temporary in nature.”
 
The July unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent, down by .3 percent from June. That was tied for seventh among 12 regional commissions. It was 5.4 percent one year ago.
 
The labor force dropped by 1,446 in July to reach 222,493 total members. The number has climbed by nearly 1,600 over the past 12 months, or about 130 per month.   
 
The Middle Georgia region lost 848 employed residents in July, dropping its total to  212,900. That number has grown by more than 3,800 over the past year, or about 316 per month.  
 
Initial claims for unemployment grew by about 21 percent for the month. They  are down by about 21 percent when compared to last July.