The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Augusta’s unemployment rate for January was 6.9 percent, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 6.6 percent in December. The rate in January 2014 was 7.5 percent.

The rate increased as the metro area lost 3,400 mostly temporary and part-time jobs related to the holiday season. The number of jobs in Metro Augusta declined to 226,000 down from 229,400 in December. Most of the job loss came in retail trade, transportation, and warehousing, professional and business services, education and health services, and state government. 

However, there was an over-the-year gain of 6,100 jobs, or 2.8 percent, from 219,900 in January 2014. Most of the gains came in leisure and hospitality, education and health services, wholesale and retail trade, financial activities and the federal government.  

Although there was a loss of mainly holiday-related jobs, the number of new claims for unemployment decreased to 2,030, a drop 343, or 14.5 percent, from 2,373 in December. Most of the decrease in claims came in accommodations and food services and manufacturing. Over the year, claims were down by 42, or 2.0 percent, from 2,072 filed in January 2014. 

Due to the federal redesignation of Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) every 10 years, Lincoln County is now included in the five-county metro Augusta MSA.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.2 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.3 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for January was 6.4 percent, down from 6.6 percent in December. It was 7.3 percent in January 2014. 

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.gdol.ga.gov Connect with us on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter @GeorgiaDOL, which can be easily accessed via our website at www.gdol.ga.gov.