The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Augusta’s unemployment rate for June was 6 percent, up seven-tenths of a percentage point from 5.3 percent in May. The rate in June 2015 was 6.7 percent.

The rate rose as the labor force increased by 3,660 to 260,507, as students and others entered the job market looking for work. The labor force consists of people employed and those who are unemployed but actively looking for jobs. The number of employed workers rose by 1,602, while the number of unemployed people increased by 2,058.      

Also, the number of jobs increased by 100 to 230,700 in June. Most of the increase came in professional and business services.

However, over the year, Augusta gained 3,300 jobs, a 1.5 percent growth rate, up from 227,400 in June 2015. Most of the job gains came in professional and business services, education and health services, and leisure and hospitality, along with state and local government.  

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 213, or 15.2 percent, to 1,185 in June. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing and construction, along with health care and social assistance. And, over the year, claims were down by 432, or 26.7 percent, from 1,617 in June 2015.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.7 percent, while the Heart of Georgia/Altamaha region had the highest at 6.9 percent. 

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for June was 5.1 percent, down from 5.3 percent in May. It was 5.8 percent in June 2015.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service, www.employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In June, 3,290 new jobs in Augusta were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 64,944 new job openings were posted.