Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Middle Georgia’s unemployment rate decreased in June.

Due to the effects of COVID-19, all regions and counties continue to see stinted yearly growth, yet monthly gains in nearly all major sectors are beginning to spike.  

“June continued to show positive growth across all regions and counties,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “We saw almost all major indicators head in the right direction but continue to work to support Georgia businesses and get Georgians back to work.”  

In Middle Georgia, the unemployment rate decreased in June to 7.1 percent, a decrease of .8 percentage points. A year ago, the rate was 4.1 percent. 

The labor force increased in June by 322. The June total was 207,424. That number is down by 11,459 from the total from June 2019.

Middle Georgia ended June with 192,793 employed residents.  The number increased by 1,959 in June and was down 17,123 as compared to last year.

Initial claims for unemployment decreased by 23 percent in June. When compared to last June, claims were up by about 2,846 percent.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 3,696 active job postings in Middle Georgia for June.