The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Augusta’s unemployment rate for July was 7.1 percent, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 6.8 percent in June. The rate in July 2014 was 8.4 percent.

The rate rose as the number of jobs decreased, the number of new layoffs increased and the labor force grew. 

The number of jobs in Augusta decreased by 500, or 0.2 percent, in July to 227,900. The job losses came in local and state government and retail trade, transportation and warehousing.  

However, there was an over-the-year gain of 6,500 jobs, or 2.9 percent, from July 2014. Most of the job growth came in leisure and hospitality, trade, transportation and warehousing, education and health services and local government. 

Also, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 550, or 34 percent, to 2,167 in July. Most of the increase came in manufacturing, administrative and support services, wholesale trade and construction. Over the year, claims were up by 179, or 9.0 percent, from 1,988 in July 2014.     

The labor force grew to 258,527, an increase of 1,586 from June. As job seekers enter the labor force, they’re counted as unemployed until they find work. In July 2014, the labor force was 257,424.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.5 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.3 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for July was 6.0 percent, down from 6.1 percent in June. It was 7.2 percent in July 2014.