The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in the Middle Georgia region in September was 5.8 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 5.7 percent in August. The rate in September 2015 was 6.1 percent.

The rate rose as the labor force increased by 1,077 to 216,306. The labor force consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed, but actively looking for jobs. While the number of employed increased by 691 to 203,663, the number of unemployed also rose by 386 to 12,643, which contributed to the rate hike.   

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 45, or 3.6 percent, to 1,199 in September. Most of the decrease came in retail trade. Over the year, claims were down by 180, or 13.1 percent, from 1,379 in September 2015.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.4 percent, while the Heart of Georgia- Altamaha region had the highest at 6.7 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for September was 5.1 percent, up from 4.9 percent in August. It was 5.6 percent in September 2015.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service, www.employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employers. In September, 3,285 new job openings in the Middle Georgia region were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 82,056 new job openings were posted.