Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Central Savannah River region’s unemployment rate fell in August.
 
At the same time, the 13-county region posted annual gains in employed residents and labor force. New unemployment claims were down as well, preliminary numbers showed.
 
“Georgia had another strong month in August,” said Butler. “The state set several records. Our local communities saw fewer unemployment claims filed as well as a drop in unemployment rates.”
 
Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged in August at 3.7 percent. The nation also grew its labor force, increased the number of employed residents and added more 130,000 jobs.
 
Georgia’s unemployment rate also held constant in August, staying at 3.6 percent.  A year ago, Georgia’s unemployment rate sat at 3.8 percent. The state’s all-time low of 3.4 percent was set in December 2000.
 
Rates fell or held steady across 10 of Georgia’s 12 planning regions.
 
In the region, the unemployment rate fell in August to 4.4 percent, a drop of 0.1 percentage points. A year ago, the rate was 5 percent.
 
The labor force decreased in August by 1,200. The August total was 209,457. That number is up by 876 from the total from August 2018.
 
Central Savannah River ended August with 200,317 employed residents.  The number decreased by 800 in August but was up 2,070 as compared to last August.
 
The number of unemployment claims decreased in August by 59 percent. When compared to last August, claims were down by about 30 percent.