Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Middle Georgia region’s unemployment rate and claims both fell in August.
 
At the same time, the 11-county area saw its labor force and number of employed residents dip down.  Most major indicators are remain positive for the year.
 
"Our communities across the state continue to thrive,” Butler said. “Local economies continue to add jobs. Indicators like employment continue to grow over time. It has become almost routine for some of our local areas to set records.”
 
The August unemployment rate fell to 4.1 percent, down by .2 percent from July. That ranked eighth among 12 regional commissions. It was 5.3 percent one year ago.
 
The labor force fell in August by 2,463 to reach 220,166 total members. The number has fallen by 228 over the past 12 months, or an average loss of about 20 per month.
 
The Middle Georgia region lost 1,857 employed residents in August, pushing its total to 211,174. That number has grown by 2,535 over the past year, or an average monthly gain of about 200.  
 
Initial claims for unemployment fell by about 12 percent for the month. They are down by about 25 percent when compared to last August.