The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that metro Macon’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.6 percent from November to December, but was down from 9.1 percent in December.

While the unemployment rate was unchanged, the number of jobs in metro Macon declined by 200 to 101,200 in December. The loss was mostly in education and health care and goods producing.

However, the over-the-year job numbers show an increase of 1,600 jobs, or 1.6 percent, since December 2012, when there were 99,600 jobs. Most of the job gains came in trade, transportation and warehousing, professional and business services, education and health care, and leisure and hospitality.

At the same time, the number of new layoffs, represented by initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, increased to 1,924, up by 1,052, or 120.6 percent, from 872 in November. Claims increased in several sectors, including manufacturing, construction, administrative and support services, and accommodations and food services. There were 1,202 claims in December 2012.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.2 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 10.2 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December was 7.4 percent, down from 7.6 percent in November. The rate was 8.7 percent in December a year ago.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.state.ga.us.