The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Augusta’s unemployment rate for June was 6.9 percent, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 6.6 percent in May. The rate in June 2014 was 7.9 percent.

The rate rose as the number of jobs decreased and the number of new layoffs, as measured by unemployment insurance claims, increased. 

The number of jobs in Augusta decreased by 2,400, or 1.0 percent, in June to 228,700. Most of the job losses came in education and health services, state government, and the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing, mining, logging and construction.  

However, there was an over-the-year gain of 5,500 jobs, or 2.5 percent, from June 2014. Most of the job growth came in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, education and health services, and other service-related industries, including trade, transportation and warehousing. 

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 368, or 29.5 percent, to 1,617 in June. Most of the increase came in manufacturing and support services. Over the year, claims were down by 108, or 6.3 percent, from 1,725 filed in June 2014.     

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.3 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.2 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for June was 6.1 percent, down from 6.3 percent in May. It was 7.3 percent in June 2014.