The Georgia Department of Labor announced that Metro Augusta’s unemployment rate in April was 4.5 percent, down three-tenths of a percentage point from 4.8 percent in March. In April 2016, the rate was 5.2 percent.

The rate declined as more people became employed, the labor force grew and employers created more jobs and reduced the number of new layoffs.

There were 4,752 more Metro Augusta residents employed in April than in March, pushing the total number to 257,290. There were 6,011 more people employed in April than in April 2016.

The labor force, which consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed and actively looking for jobs, grew by 4,027 to 269,414. That total represents an increase of 4,264 over the past 12 months.

The number of jobs in Augusta increased by 5,700, or 2.4 percent, to 241,800. The job growth came in leisure and hospitality, impacted by the Master’s Golf Tournament, retail trade, professional and business services, and education and health services.

Over-the-year, a total of 4,300 jobs were added, a 1.8 percent growth rate, up from 237,500, in
April 2016. The job growth came in education and health services, trade, transportation and warehousing and leisure and hospitality, along with financial activities and state government.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance, a measure of new layoffs, declined by 130, or 13.5 percent, to 835. Most of the decrease came in administrative and support services, along with wholesale and retail trade. Over the year, claims were down by 331, or 28.4 percent, from 1,166 in April 2016.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 3.9 percent, while the Heart of Georgia and River Valley regions had the highest at 5.9 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for April was 5 percent, down from 5.1 percent in March. It was 5.4 percent in April 2016.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use GDOL’s online job listing service employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In April, 3,144 new job openings in Augusta were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 75,183 new job openings were posted.