The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Warner Robins’ unemployment rate for July was 7.8 percent, up five-tenths of a percentage point from 7.3 percent in June. The rate in July of last year was also 7.8 percent.

The July rate increase is primarily due to seasonal factors, such as temporary layoffs in educational services. However, most of the laid-off workers have returned to their jobs.

There were 58,100 jobs in Warner Robins in July, down by 400, or 0.7 percent, from June. The losses were in federal, state, and local government.

And, there was an over-the-year loss of 500 jobs, or 0.9 percent, from July 2013. The primary losses were with the federal government and in wholesale trade, transportation, and warehousing.

Also, there were 360 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in July, a decrease of two, or 0.6 percent, from 362 in June. Most of the decrease was in health care and social assistance. There were 611 claims filed in July 2013, down 41.1 percent.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 6.6 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 11.4 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for July was 7.8 percent, up from 7.4 percent in June.