Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Macon’s initial claims drastically increased in March.
 
Due to the effects of COVID-19, all MSA’s throughout the state saw a dramatic incline in initial claims along with the unemployment rate.
 
“Although we are seeing the effects of COVID-19 throughout the state in spikes in unemployment, we are working very diligently to come up with solutions to get Georgians back to work as soon as it is safe to do so,” Butler said.
 
In Macon, the unemployment rate increased 0.8 percentage points in March, reaching 4.6 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.9 percent.
 
The number of unemployment claims went up by 939 percent in March, which directly correlated with the number of temporary lay-offs associated with COVID-19. When compared to last March, claims were up by about 1,255 percent.
 
Macon ended March with 103,400 jobs. That number increased by 400 from April to March but was down by 200 when compared to this time last year.
 
The labor force decreased in March by 381 and ended the month with 103,860. That number is up 75 when compared to March of 2019.
 
Macon finished the month with 99,042 employed residents.  That number decreased by 1,200 over the month and is down by 687 when compared to the same time a year ago.