Unemployment up sharply in western, eastern Georgia

The Chattahoochee-Flint River Area of western Georgia and the Central Savannah River Area of eastern Georgia have experienced sharp increases in unemployment, according to the Georgia Department of Labor.

In the Chattahoochee-Flint River Area, unemployment rose to 5.6 from 4.7, nine-tenths of a percentage point.

Unemployment in the CSRA, which includes Augusta rose to 6.2 percent in January, up half a percent from December's rate of 5.7 percent.

The state's unemployment rate, meanwhile, was 5.2 percent during the same time period. That rate has risen a full percentage point during the past two months. It's the first time since the early 1990s that the rate has risen that much during the November to January quarter.

For more information about unemployment statistics, go to www.dol.state.ga.us/pr/current_data.htm.