The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced today that Metro
Augusta’s unemployment rate in December was 5.2 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 5.1 percent in November. In December 2015, the rate was 5.7 percent.

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

The labor force, which consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed, but actively looking for jobs, grew by 1,617 to 261,989. The number of unemployed residents rose by 433 to 13,677, while the number of employed residents rose by 1,184 to 248,312.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance, a measure of new layoffs, rose by 476, or 46.8 percent, to 1,493 in December. Most of the increase came in accommodations and food services and manufacturing.  Over the year, claims were down by 1,058, or 41.5 percent, from 2,551 in December 2015.

The number of jobs in Augusta increased by 200, or 0.1 percent, to 234,300. Most of the job gains came in leisure and hospitality.

Over the year, 4,800 jobs were added, a 2.1 percent growth rate, up from 229,500 in December 2015. Most of the job growth came in professional and business services, trade, transportation and warehousing, and education and health services, along with leisure and hospitality.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.2 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha and River Valley regions had the highest at 6.6 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for December was 5.4 percent, up from 5.3 percent in November. It was 5.5 percent in December 2015.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service, employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employers. In December, 2,753 new job openings in Augusta were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 57,920 new job openings were posted.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at dol.georgia.gov