Middle Georgia’s Unemployment Rate Drops in August

Staff Report

Monday, September 28th, 2020

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

Additionally, Middle Georgia saw a monthly increase in employed residents and a monthly decrease in initial claims for August.

“It is very promising that we continue to see the unemployment rate drop month after month, while the job market gets stronger, evoking positive news for Georgia’s economy,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “The state as a whole is leading the nation in competitive unemployment rates, coming in at 7th lowest.” 

In Middle Georgia, the unemployment rate decreased by 2 percentage points, dropping the rate to 5.4 percent. A year ago, the rate was 4 percent.

The labor force decreased in August by 4,640. The August total was 206,630. That number is down by 11,586 from the total from August 2019.

Middle Georgia ended August with 195,545 employed residents.  The number increased by 14 in August but was down 13,988 as compared to last year.

Initial claims for unemployment decreased by 52 percent in August. When compared to last August, claims were up by about 956 percent.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 1,060 active job postings in Middle Georgia for August.