The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the five-county Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area recorded an unemployment rate of 4.3% in June, up three-tenths over the month. A year ago, the rate was 4.7%.

“June's unemployment trends tell a familiar story — Georgia's students are stepping into our workforce as schools let out for summer, creating the temporary unemployment and hiring fluctuations typical for this time of year,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. “With Georgia's recent historic announcement of 5 million jobs, these students are stepping into a local workforce that belongs to them, in a state that's proven over and over that when Georgians show up, opportunity follows.”

The labor force in Macon increased by 674 over the month and declined by 639 over the year, totaling 96,887.

Macon finished the month with 92,693 employed residents, up 310 from the previous month and declined by 238 from the same time last year.

Macon ended June with 100,600 jobs, up 600 from the previous month and up 700 from the same time last year.

In June, initial unemployment claims in Macon increased by 2 from the previous month and were down by 50 from the same month last year, totaling 422.