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

March 5, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COASTAL AREA'S JOBLESS RATE DROPS TO 3.8 PERCENT IN JANUARY

ATLANTA -- State Labor Commissioner Marti Fullerton said today that the unemployment rate in the Coastal area declined to 3.8 percent in January, down from 3.9 percent in December. The area's jobless rate was 4.9 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 the Coastal area, 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."

The area's civilian labor force, which is the number of people working plus those unemployed but actively looking for a job, totaled 233,791 in January. Of that number, 224,861 were employed and 8,930 were jobless. The area's work force is down from 235,500 in December, when 226,296 were employed and 9,204 were unemployed.

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-98-423

An Equal Opportunity Employer