Georgia Department of Labor
Suite 642 148 International Boulevard N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1751 (404)656-3032

March 5, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

METRO ATLANTA'S JOBLESS RATE REMAINS UNCHANGED AT 3.0 PERCENT

ATLANTA -- State Labor Commissioner Marti Fullerton said today that the unemployment rate in metro Atlanta remained unchanged at 3.0 percent from December to January, but it is down from 3.7 percent in January 1997.

Georgia's unemployment rate declined slightly to 3.7 percent in January, its lowest point for the month in 28 years. The jobless rate was down from 3.8 percent in December. It was 4.5 percent in January 1997.

"In Atlanta, as in most areas of Georgia, the job market is very stable," said Fullerton. "For many years, the unemployment rate in January increased because people who had been hired for temporary retail sales jobs during the Christmas holidays were laid off and the winter weather took a toll in the outdoor construction industry. But, during the mid-nineties the January rate hasn't fluctuated much from December because our state's overall economy is doing well."

While metro Atlanta lost 41,200 jobs in January, most were seasonal in nature. Nonfarm employment declined to 1,986,800 down from 2,028,000 in December. Yet, even with the seasonal job losses, the area has added 88,500 new jobs in the past year, up by 4.7 percent from 1,898,300 in January 1997.

The area's civilian labor force, which is the number of people working plus those unemployed but actively looking for a job, was down by 24,283 during the month, but it is up by 57,357 in a year.

Labor market data are now available on the Georgia Department of Labor home page at www.dol.state.ga.us

NEWS MEDIA NEEDING MORE INFORMATION MAY CALL (404) 656-3032 E-mail: communications@dol.state.ga.us.

FY-98-417

An Equal Opportunity Employer