The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Augusta’s unemployment rate increased to 7.4 percent in June, up five-tenths of a percentage point from 6.9 percent in May. The rate was 8.9 percent in June a year ago.

The rate increased because of seasonal factors, such as the summer job loss among non-contract school workers and temporary layoffs, primarily in manufacturing.

There were 220,500 jobs in Augusta in June, down by 2,000, or 0.9 percent, from 222,500 in May. Most of the loss came in state education and leisure and hospitality.

However, there was an over-the-year gain of 3,500, or 1.6 percent, from 217,000 in June 2013. The primary growth was in leisure and hospitality and professional and business services.

Also, there were 1,689 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in June, an increase of 280, or 19.9 percent, from 1,409 in May. There were 1,818 claims filed in June 2013.

The labor force decreased by 361 to 263,655 from 264,016 in May.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 6.3 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 10.4 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for June was 7.4 percent, up from 7.2 percent in May. The rate was 8.4 percent in May a year ago.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.gdol.ga.gov.