Northeast Georgia posts Positive Numbers Across the Board in February

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler recently said that Northeast Georgia saw positive over-the-month measures for every key indicator in February.  “February’s numbers are a strong indication the state is getting back to where it was prior to the pandemic,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “Not only are we seeing growth for nearly every indicator in each region and county, but we are seeing the momentum start to switch in our favor. The unemployment rates are drastically dropping, the labor force numbers are gearing up, and most importantly, we are seeing initial claims decrease in almost every region and county.”  In Northeast Georgia, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.4 percentage points, bringing the rate to 3.8 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.2 percent.  The labor force increased in February by 2,520. The February total was 310,859. That number is down by 6,412 from the total from February 2020.  Northeast Georgia ended February with 299,047 employed residents.  The number increased by 3,701 in February but was down 8,227 as compared to last year.  Initial claims for unemployment decreased by 3 percent in February. When compared to last February, claims were up by about 426 percent.  The GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 4,268 active job postings in Northeast Georgia for February.  Visit gdol.ga.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia, and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers.