State Unemployment Rate Hits New High

There are new and sobering numbers this morning on unemployment in Georgia. The state’s labor department says the seasonally adjustment jobless rate for May is now the highest ever recorded in Georgia—9.7 percent. That is up five-tenths of a percentage point from April’s mark. And for a 19th consecutive month, Georgia's rate is above the national rate(currently 9.4 percent). Commissiioner Michael Thurmond says the new rate reminds us "the road to economic recovery will be long and difficult." Last month, more than 463,000 Georgians were looking for work.

Unemployment Claims Jump Big Over Year's Time

New numbers this morning from the state Labor Department show 96,306 laid-off workers filed first-time claims for unemployment benefits in March. It represents an increase of 126-percent from the same month a year ago.

The metro area with the highest jump in claims was Gainesville, followed by Rome and Brunswick.

Claims filed came from laid-off workers in manufacturing, trade, construction, as well as administrative and support services.

Georgia Jobless Rate Highest Since '83

New numbers from Georgia’s labor department Thursday morning show the state’s unemployment rate rose to 8.1 percent in December. That represents the highest rate in almost 26 years. The spike in the jobless rate is up 3.6 percent from a year ago. Georgia’s current 8.1 unemployment mark is above the national rate of 7.2 percent for the 11th straight month.

The biggest loss of jobs came in the metro-Atlanta area, with 82,000 gone in a year’s time. The largest percentage increase in jobs lost was in Dalton, with 5.2 percent evaporated in one year.

Unemployment claims are highest 1-year jump in 7 years

The state’s Department of Labor says this morning 59,090 laid-off workers filed first-time claims for unemployment benefits in August. That number stands as an increase of 72-percent over August of last year. Labor department officials say it’s the largest over-the-year jump in initial claims since October of 2001--that’s when significant layoffs were seen in the weeks following the terrorist attacks.

Fitzgerald plant closure to put 500+ out of work

The Georgia Department of Labor says all 556 workers of a carpet fiber plant in Fitzgerald will be affected when the plant closes in November. State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond says in a statement that the closure of Shaw Industries will create a difficult situation for workers and the community. Last August, the company closed one of its plants in Tifton, causing over 200 people there to lose their jobs. Thurmond says the department will work with Shaw management to offer help to those losing their jobs in Fitzgerald.