Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that all Regional Commissions recorded a rise in unemployment rates in August.

“As we look toward the fall, we are committed to supporting the workforce as employers search for seasonal, full-time, and part-time employees to fill vacancies in preparation for the holiday employment season,” said Commissioner Mark Butler.

The labor force rose in the Coastal Georgia Regional Commission and Georgia Mountains Regional Commission.

Employment was down in all Regional Commissions.

Claims dropped in the Atlanta Regional Commission, Central Savannah River Regional Commission, Coastal Georgia Regional Commission, Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, Heart of Georgia Regional Commission, Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, Northwest Georgia Regional Commission, Southern Georgia Regional Commission, and Three Rivers Regional Commission.

Please see a synopsis of each regional commission below:
o-t-m – over the month
o-t-y – over the year

Atlanta Regional Commission - Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties.

The August preliminary unemployment rate was up two-tenths to 3.0 percent o-t-m, the rate was 4.0 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 12,132 o-t-m and up 186,563 o-t-y, to 2,635,540.
The number of employed was down 16,463 o-t-m and up 206,334 o-t-y, to 2,556,290.
Initial claims were down 379 (-3%) o-t-m and down 9,126 (-45%) o-t-y, to 11,028.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Transportation and Warehousing and Retail Trade, and down o-t-y in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 72,198 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Central Savannah River Regional Commission - Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington, and Wilkes counties.

The August preliminary unemployment rate was up one-tenth to 3.8 percent o-t-m, the rate was 4.5 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,345 o-t-m and down 776 o-t-y, to 207,231.
The number of employed was down 1,456 o-t-m and up 583 o-t-y, to 199,301.
Initial claims were down 438 (-26%) o-t-m and down 765 (-38%) o-t-y, to 1,257.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 5,143 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Coastal Georgia Regional Commission - Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Screven counties.

The August preliminary unemployment rate was up three-tenths to 3.1 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.9 percent one year ago.
The labor force was up 282 o-t-m and up 2,536 o-t-y, to 344,226.
The number of employed was down 584 o-t-m and up 5,158 o-t-y, to 333,646.
Initial claims were down 127 (-10%) o-t-m and down 1,433 (-55%) o-t-y, to 1,194.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Retail Trade, and down o-t-y in Accommodation and Food Services and Arts, Entertainment and Recreation.
There were 9,559 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Georgia Mountains Regional Commission - Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties.

The August preliminary unemployment rate was up three-tenths to 2.7 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.9 percent one year ago.
The labor force was up 91 o-t-m and down 125,016 o-t-y, to 237,096.
The number of employed was down 618 o-t-m and down 121,068 o-t-y, to 230,699.
Initial claims were down 198 (-22%) o-t-m, and down 311 (-30%) o-t-y, to 717.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Trade, and down o-t-y in Accommodation and Food Services and Trade.
There were 3,443 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Heart of Georgia – Altamaha Regional Commission - Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler, and Wilcox counties.

The August preliminary unemployment rate was up two-tenths to 3.8 percent o-t-m, the rate was 4.3 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 658 o-t-m and down 1,802 o-t-y, to 116,430.
The number of employed was down 898 o-t-m and down 1,095 o-t-y, to 112,032.
Initial claims were down 75 (-9%) o-t-m, and down 606 (-45%) o-t-y, to 742.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Trade and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Accommodation and Food Services and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 703 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Middle Georgia Regional Commission - Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Pulaski, Putnam, Twiggs, and Wilkinson counties.

The August preliminary unemployment rate was up two-tenths to 3.4 percent o-t-m, the rate was 4.1 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 757 o-t-m and up 1,865 o-t-y, to 220,037.
The number of employed was down 1,218 o-t-m and up 3,252 o-t-y, to 212,450.
Initial claims were up 218 (15%) o-t-m and down 971 (-37%) o-t-y, to 1,633.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Wholesale Trade and Educational Services, and down o-t-y in Retail Trade and Health Care and Social Assistance.
There were 4,729 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Northeast Georgia Regional Commission - Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Walton counties.

The August preliminary unemployment rate was up two-tenths to 2.8 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.4 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,213 o-t-m and up 8,967 o-t-y, to 324,188.
The number of employed was down 1,915 o-t-m and up 10,385 o-t-y, to 314,960.
Initial claims were down 283 (-22%) o-t-m and down 839 (-45%) o-t-y, to 1,000.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Trade, and down o-t-y in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 6,089 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Northwest Georgia Regional Commission - Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties.

The August preliminary unemployment rate was up two-tenths to 2.9 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.3 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,932 o-t-m and up 5,014 o-t-y, to 428,051.
The number of employed was down 3,053 o-t-m and up 6,526 o-t-y, to 415,495.
Initial claims were down 547 (-18%) o-t-m and down 83 (-3%) o-t-y, to 2,508.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Trade, and down o-t-y in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 4,283 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

River Valley Regional Commission - Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, and Webster counties.

The August preliminary unemployment rate was up three-tenths to 4.3 percent o-t-m, the rate was 5.4 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 934 o-t-m and down 1,151 o-t-y, to 143,453.
The number of employed was down 1,445 o-t-m and up 485 o-t-y, to 137,233.
Initial claims were up 412 (37%) o-t-m and down 2,942 (-66%) o-t-y, to 1,536.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Construction, and down o-t-y in Trade and Other Services (except Public Administration).
There were 3,564 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Southern Georgia Regional Commission - Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, Turner, and Ware counties.

The August preliminary unemployment rate was up two-tenths to 3.3 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.8 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 765 o-t-m and down 1,313 o-t-y, to 177,956.
The number of employed was down 1,000 o-t-m and down 333 o-t-y, to 172,131.
Initial claims were down 325 (-24%) o-t-m and down 719 (-42%) o-t-y, to 1,014.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Manufacturing and Trade, and down o-t-y in Trade and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 878 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Southwest Georgia Regional Commission - Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth counties.

The August preliminary unemployment rate was up four-tenths to 3.8 percent o-t-m, the rate was 4.5 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,263 o-t-m and down 1,562 o-t-y, to 146,253.
The number of employed was down 1,828 o-t-m and down 551 o-t-y, to 140,649.
Initial claims were up 290 (29%) o-t-m and down 428 (-25%) o-t-y, to 1,282.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Public Administration and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Accommodation and Food Services and Retail Trade.
There were 1,260 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Three Rivers Regional Commission - Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, and Upson counties.
The August preliminary unemployment rate was up two-tenths to 3.0 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.8 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,205 o-t-m and up 5,384 o-t-y, to 257,211.
The number of employed was down 1,674 o-t-m and up 7,138 o-t-y, to 249,384.
Initial claims were down 482 (-24%) o-t-m and down 711 (-32%) o-t-y, to 1,501.
Initial claims were down o-t-m in Trade and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Trade and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 3,391 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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