News release, July 15, 1999A

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

July 15, 1999

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GEORGIA'S 4.1 PERCENT JOBLESS RATE LOWEST EVER RECORDED IN JUNE

ATLANTA -- State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said today that Georgia continues to record historically low unemployment rates. The 4.1 percent rate for June is the lowest ever recorded for that month. While the rate was down from 4.8 percent in June of 1998, it was up from 3.5 percent in May.

The rate rose because about 46,000 people, including students and secondary wage earners, entered the labor force looking for work. Of that number, slightly more than 18,000 found jobs, but since it usually takes more than one month to find a job, almost 28,000 were still searching at the end of June.

"The state's unemployment rate has increased consistently from May to June for the past 29 years," said Thurmond, "however, the six-tenths of a percent increase this year is lower than the one-percent increase we've normally seen. That's because Georgia's economy remains solid and we continue to create new jobs.

"The job growth opens new opportunities not only for people already counted in the work force, but also for those discouraged workers who aren't included in the statistics. Discouraged workers, with proper training and job search assistance, can become productive workers and help fill many jobs that are unfilled because of the state's labor shortage. These workers include former welfare recipients, older workers, youth, ex-offenders, dislocated workers, homeless veterans and people with disabilities."

Georgia created 29,600 new jobs in June, as nonfarm jobs rose to 3,870,500, up from 3,840,900 in May. Most of the job increases came in the service industries, 11,600; trade, 7,200; construction, 4,900; and manufacturing, 1,900. With the exception of Albany and Savannah, where jobs

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Georgia Department of Labor - Press Release
remained unchanged at 59,900 and 137,000 respectively, the other metropolitan areas recorded job increases as follows:

-- Athens, up by 200 from 73,600 to 73,800.

-- Atlanta, up by 19,700 from 2,094,800 to 2,114,500.

-- Augusta, up by 500 from 199,400 to 199,900.

-- Columbus, up by 900 from 122,000 to 122,900.

-- Macon, up by 700 from 150,400 to 151,100.

Labor market data are now available on the Georgia Department of Labor's web site at www.dol. state.ga.us

E-mail: communications@dol.state.ga.us.

FY-00-33

An Equal Opportunity Employer

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GEORGIA EMPLOYMENT
(In Millions)

May to June +29,600 jobs

3.76

3.73

3.76

3.77

3.79

3.82

3.84

3.76

3.79

3.81

3.82

3.84

3.87

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

1998

1999

Source: Georgia Department of Labor - Michael L. Thurmond, Commissioner

ALBANY AREA EMPLOYMENT
(In Thousands)
May to June no change in jobs
59.4 58.9 58.9 59.2 59.3 59.7 59.8 58.9 59.2 59.5 59.7 59.9 59.9

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

1998

1999

Note: Albany Area includes Dougherty and Lee counties. Source: Georgia Department of Labor - Michael L. Thurmond, Commissioner

SAVANNAH AREA EMPLOYMENT
(In Thousands)
May to June +0 jobs

133.7

136.5 137.0 137.0

135.7 135.7

135.6

133.9 134.5 134.5

134.6 133.7

132.0

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

1998

1999

Note: Savannah Area includes Bryan, Chatham, and Effingham counties.

Source: Georgia Department of Labor - Michael L. Thurmond, Commissioner

ATHENS AREA EMPLOYMENT
(In Thousands)
May to June +200 jobs

73.3

71.1

74.2

73.4

74.0

74.7

74.7

72.9

73.8

75.1

73.0

73.6

73.8

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

1998

1999

Note: Athens Area includes Clarke, Madison, and Oconee counties.

Source: Georgia Department of Labor - Michael L. Thurmond, Commissioner

ATLANTA AREA EMPLOYMENT
(In Millions)
May to June +19,700 jobs

2.04

2.03

2.05

2.05

2.06

2.08

2.09

2.05

2.06

2.08

2.08

2.09

2.11

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

1998

1999

Note: Atlanta Area includes Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton counties. Source: Georgia Department of Labor - Michael L. Thurmond, Commissioner

AUGUSTA-AIKEN AREA EMPLOYMENT
(In Thousands)
May to June +500 jobs

197.8

195.2

194.9

196.2

197.2

199.0

199.3

196.0

196.7

197.8

200.1

199.4

199.9

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

1998

1999

Note: Augusta-Aiken Area includes Columbia, McDuffie, and Richmond counties (GA)

and Aiken and Edgefield (SC).

Source: Georgia Department of Labor - Michael L. Thurmond, Commissioner

COLUMBUS AREA EMPLOYMENT
(In Thousands)
May to June +900 jobs
118.9 118.5 119.0 119.4 119.7 120.5 120.8 118.9 119.6 121.5 121.7 122.0 122.9

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

1998

1999

Note: Columbus Area includes Chattahoochee, Harris, and Muscogee counties (GA) and Russell (AL). Source: Georgia Department of Labor - Michael L. Thurmond, Commissioner

MACON AREA EMPLOYMENT
(In Thousands)
May to June +700 jobs

148.9

148.5 150.3 150.2 151.2 151.4 148.8 148.9 149.8 150.2 150.4 151.1

147.5

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

1998

1999

Note: Macon Area includes Bibb, Houston, Jones, Peach, and Twiggs counties. Source: Georgia Department of Labor - Michael L. Thurmond, Commissioner