Georgia Unemployment Rate In Double Digits

Nearly a half a million Georgians are out of work. The Department of Labor released its June unemployment figures today. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is at 10.1 percent—the highest ever recorded in the state.

"We are continuing to see lay off in construction, manufacturing, really across all sectors," says Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, "except of course health care and education."

In June, 483,394 Georgians were looking for work.

Thurmond calls on Georgia leaders to engage the private sector to create jobs. He also encourages the unemployed to seek more education and training to prepare for future jobs.

"Green jobs is a growing industry, ways to save energy, maximize potential in that arena," says Thurmond. "I think manufacturing, but with a more highly skilled work force will create employment opportunity in the future."

Right now about a third of jobless Georgians receive unemployment benefits from the state. Georgia's unemployment rate is worse than the nation's. It's at 9.5 percent.

Extended Unemployment Benefits In The Mail

Good news for the unemployed in Georgia—those on the rolls of the Department of Labor and who qualify will soon be getting extended jobless benefits checks. The payments are part of the state’s emergency extension of benefits-made possible by the federal stimulus and approved by the state legislature. This extension is expected to bolster a little more than 40,000 jobless Georgians with another 20 weeks of payments.

Meanwhile, just released this morning, new numbers from the state’s Department of Labor. Statistics show a continued increase in claims filed for unemployment benefits, but a rise at a slower rate. 75,436 workers who filed claims represent an increase of 68-percent over May of last year. But, officials say initial claims from this April to last month were down in 11 of Georgia’s 14 metro areas.

Jobs Benefits Phone System Glitch Frustrates Callers

Out-of-work Georgians who had problems with the Department of Labor’s automated phone system Sunday will still be able to get their unemployment benefits check for the new week. For a few hours yesterday, 12 to 15 percent of phone system capacity was lost before the problem was resolved late Sunday afternoon. State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond says a technical glitch was to blame for the system overload. Thurmond says this was the first time the phone system failed in his nine years on the job as state Labor Commissioner.

People are required to call into the system once-a-week to verify their search for work before they can get an unemployment benefits check for that week.

New numbers from the state Labor Department Thursday showed Georgians filing first-time claims for state unemployment insurance benefits was up 80.7 percent over one year's time.

Unemployment Claims Spike 80% Over 1 Year

The first numbers of the year on unemployment claims filed in Georgia are out. The state's Labor Department reports 120,139 laid-off workers filed first-time claims for benefits in January. That represents a spike of over 80 percent from January 2008. Of metro regions in the state, Dalton felt the highest number of unemployment claims--up 164 percent.

State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond says with so many talented, experienced and educated workers now flooding the job market, those with the highest levels of persistence will be the most successful in landing employment.

State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond says this is becoming a "Darwinian job market.":

"The growing number of layoffs has created a surplus of jobseekers who are talented, experienced, educated, and well-trained. In this challenging environment, the most successful jobseekers will be those who demonstrate the highest levels of persistence, determination, and above all, flexibility when looking for work."

Most of the state initial claims were filed by laid-off workers in manufacturing, trade, administrative services, including temporary employment agencies, and construction.

Thurmond urges jobseekers to continue to look for work, explore training and education opportunities and to make full use of the department's reemployment services available at the 53 Georgia Department of Labor Career Centers around the state. The locations of the career centers may be accessed via the internet at www.dol.state.ga.us.