Georgia unemployment rate unchanged at 5.4 percent in February

Georgia’s unemployment rate remained the same from January to February at 5.4 percent, even with job gains and fewer first-time claims for jobless benefits.

The February rate compares to 6.2 percent a year ago, the Georgia Department of Labor reported Thursday.

“Although the unemployment rate held steady, our January-to-February job growth is much stronger than what we’ve averaged for the last three years, and we had a significant reduction in new layoffs,” said state Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “Our strong over-the-year job growth continues to outpace the national average.”

The Peach State added 11,900 jobs from January to February to give it a total of 4,342,100, the department said. Sectors contributing to that were trade, transportation and warehousing (6,000 jobs), professional and business services (3,700), government (1,600), construction (900) and education and health services (900). There were some losses in manufacturing and financial activities.

Year over year, Georgia has generated 116,000 jobs, which is 2.7 percent growth and better than the nation’s 1.9 percent increase over the last 12 months, the department said. Sectors picking up jobs included professional and business services (29,700), trade, transportation and warehousing (28,500), leisure and hospitality (19,100), education and health services (10,400), manufacturing (9,100) and construction (9,000). Information services was the only job loser.

A closely watched figure is first-time, or initial, filings for unemployment assistance, which is a barometer of new layoffs. Georgia experienced a sharp decline in that category, with 29,339 people submitting claims in February, which was a 46 percent decrease from 54,220 claims in January. Year over year, there were 48 more claims. The month-to-month decrease was in the sectors of manufacturing, construction, administrative and support services, trade, transportation and warehousing, and accommodations and food services.

Metro data released Thursday showed the Columbus metro area adding 400 jobs over the past year for a total of 121,000. The only metro area to lose jobs from February to February was Hinesville with 200 fewer positions.

In the area of first-time unemployment claims, Columbus saw 60 fewer than in February a year ago, with 789 local residents seeking assistance in the most recent month. Four of the state’s 14 metro areas had an increase in filings — Hinesville, Dalton, Rome and Gainesville.

The labor department will release February jobless rates for the state’s metro areas next week. The Columbus-area figure in January was 6.8 percent, the second-highest in the state and just below Dalton’s 7.2 percent.

As he has done in the past, Butler on Thursday urged those seeking work to visit his department’s site, www.employgeorgia.com, where in February there were about 77,000 positions listed statewide.

This story was originally published March 17, 2016 at 4:09 PM with the headline "Georgia unemployment rate unchanged at 5.4 percent in February."