Dimensions: measuring Georgia's workforce, Vol. 27, no. 2 (Feb. 2001)

February 2001 Data
Highlights
February's growth--not flat, not feverish, but far-reaching.......page 2
Georgia's nonfarm employment increased by 17,400 in February and 70 percent of this job growth occurred outside the Atlanta metro area.
Unemployment rate up slightly in February ............... page 10
Despite an increase, Georgia's jobless rate continued to prevail below the nation's rate in February. Six of Georgia's seven MSAs saw similar unemployment rate increases as the state.
Spotlight: Service Delivery Region Two ........................ Page 12
Stability and managed growth in the northeast Georgia mountains...what is their secret?
New Developments................. Page 18
Over-the-year initial claims totals up for tenth consecutive month ....... page 21
For each of the four weeks in the month of February unemployment insurance initial claims surged upward when compared to the same week one year ago.
WI&A Customer Satisfaction Team ................. page 23

Volume XXVII, Number 2
Data Tables
4 Georgia Nonagricultural Employment
5 Georgia Hours and Earnings
6 Atlanta Nonagricultural Employment
7 Albany & Athens Nonagricultural Employment
8 Augusta-Aiken & Columbus Nonagricultural Employment
9 Macon & Savannah Nonagricultural Employment
11 Georgia, Metro Areas & U.S. Labor Force Estimates
14 Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County
19 Georgia Unemployment Rates by County
20 Georgia Unemployment Insurance Claims by County
Michael L. Thurmond, Commissioner Georgia Department of Labor
Workforce Information & Analysis 148 Andrew Young International Boulevard, NE
Courtland Building, Suite 300 Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1751
(404) 656-3177 Fax (404) 651-9568 WorkforceInfo@dol.state.ga.us
Equal Opportunity Employer/Program Auxiliary Aids and Services Available upon
Request to Individuals with Disabilities

Dimensions - Measuring Georgia's Workforce

February's growth -- not flat, not feverish, but far-reaching

Georgia's nonfarm employment increased by 17,400 in February, nearly half the figure from a year ago and much lower than in recent years. Indeed, February's job growth has not been this low since we began our climb out of the recession ten years ago. Over the year, Georgia's employment levels increased by 82,500 or roughly two percent, compared with an average yearover-year gain of 130,700 for the past three years. The most pronounced difference this February, however, is that employment growth in the Atlanta MSA only accounted for roughly 30 percent of the statewide growth for the month. This stands in stark contrast to recent February trends when Atlanta averaged well over 50 percent and as much as 80 percent of the total statewide growth. This suggests that after a long period of economic expansion concentrated primarily in Atlanta, job growth is now beginning to spread to other areas of the state.
February is typically a rebound month for employment levels across industries following seasonal reductions in January after the holiday buildup. Yet this February, Georgia's industries behaved somewhat erratically, not at all following the anticipated seasonal pattern. Three major industry divisions which typically expand in February, (Construction, Retail, and F.I.R.E.), actually experienced contractions this month, while three other industries posted gains higher than in the previous year (Manufacturing, T.C.P.U., and Government). Wholesale trade and Services both achieved growth this month, but growth which was well short of recent trends.
After reaching a record peak of 212,900 workers in August, employment in the construction division continued its seasonal contraction this month, losing another 300 workers. General building contractors actually surged up this month by 1,700 statewide, primarily in the Atlanta area, and partially offsetting a loss of 2,000 in special trade contractors. Unseasonably warm weather in February may have contributed to early starts on major corporate building projects slated for spring. For the year, the division's em-
2

Thousands 40 35
30 25 20 15
10 5 6.2 0 1992

February job growth

Numeric change Percent change
31.6 29.6

20.8 21.0 17.9

21.3 21.9

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

Percent change 1.0% 0.9% 0.8%
32.4 0.7% 0.6% 0.5%
17.4 0.4% 0.3% 0.2% 0.1% 0.0%
2000 2001

Atlanta's share of statewide job growth

Thousands

(Feb. 92 - Feb. 01)

35 Atlanta
30

25

20

15

10

5

0

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

00

01

ployment has risen 7,700, with three-quarters of this growth occurring in the special trades component industry.

Employment in the manufacturing division added 1,800 workers this month, recouping only one-fifth of its January loss. A surge in durable goods industries, which picked up 3,400 workers in February, was somewhat discounted by a loss of 1,600 workers in nondurable goods. The rise in durable employment was mostly attributable to the return of several thousand workers to large automobile plants in the state which shutdown production lines temporarily in January to compensate for overstocked inventories. Production worker hours in manufacturing fell below the forty-hour workweek (39.7) for the first time since March 1993, mostly attributable to a shortened workweek in the apparel industry which fell to 32 hours in February. Over the year, manufacturing has suffered a loss of 13,800 jobs, 8,500 in nondurable goods and 5,300 in durable goods. Losses in durable goods over the year have been concentrated mainly in aerospace and lumber and wood products. With an oversupplied lumber market and slowing national housing activity, lumber prices have slumped and many mills have had to either temporarily furlough workers or shut down altogether. Aircraft and parts manufacturers have shed 1,500 jobs since last February, mostly in the Atlanta area. Over-the-year losses on the nondurable goods side were pretty broadbased with significant declines occurring in all of the component industries except for chemicals and allied products, which was up slightly from a year ago.

Dimensions - Measuring Georgia's Workforce

The transportation, communications and public utilities division inched up by 500 this month and has added 8,400 jobs over the year. In transportation, small dips in local
and interurban transit and air transportation this month were cancelled out by equal gains in trucking and warehousing and other transportation. Telephone communications have a 5.1 percent growth rate over the year, with 600 new jobs filled this month
while non-telephone communications remained stable over the month and added only 600 new jobs over the year.

Thousands

The trade twins part ways (again)
Wholesale and retail trends in February

4.0

2.8

2.0 1.5

2.1

1.6

1.9 1.9

1.0

1.3

0.2

0.0 -0.3

-2.0

-2.0

-2.7 -4.0

-3.1

-6.0

Wholesale

Retail

-7.0 -8.0

95

96

97

98

99

00

01

The trade division experienced an extended contraction in February following a steeper than expected January decline of 28,000 jobs. This month, trade declined by 6,800
despite a slight gain in wholesale trade. The small gain of 200 workers in wholesale this month is sharply lower than the average February increase of 1,600 over the prior six years. In addition, retail trade employment fell by 7,000 in February and has con-
tracted by about 2 percent over the year. This month's retail decline stands in stark contrast to the large gains seen in February of the prior two years, and is more in line with trends in the early to mid-1990s. The bottom that fell out in the retail sector this
month was driven by a 2,800 loss in general merchandise stores (primarily department stores) and a loss of 1,900 in apparel and accessory stores. Automotive dealers and home furnishings stores also lost over a thousand jobs each while the other retail
component industries were essentially unchanged.

Activity in the finance, insurance and real estate division was mixed in February,
resulting in a net loss of 600 jobs. Employment in the finance sector declined by 900 for the month and has contracted by 2,400 workers over the year. Losses in the finance component industries occurred mostly in commercial banking, but it is worth noting
that holding and investment firms suffered a 2.5 percent decline over the month as well. Insurance employment rose only slightly but has increased 2,400 over the past year. Real estate employment was relatively unchanged this month and has added 900
jobs over the year.

Georgia nonfarm growth by industy (Feb. 99 - Feb. 01)
Thousands
20

99

00

01

15

10

The services division, which has been a virtual job factory in recent history, continues to experience robust growth netting 12,000 new jobs in February. While this growth is spectacular, it is not even close to recent year's figures for the same month. However, all of the division's component industries showed increases for the month and the most significant increase (+5,300) occurred in the dark horse sector, "other services," which includes agricultural, legal, repair, and personal services, as well as motion pictures, membership organizations and other miscellaneous services. For the year, the division is growing at almost a 4 percent rate, with strong increases in almost all of its component industries. Although business services added 1,200 workers in February, employment in that sector has continued to slacken and is down 6,800 over the year. Marked losses in personnel supply services have driven this sector downward over the year, resulting in a net loss of almost 10,000 temporary staffing jobs since February a year ago.
The government division was the real powerhouse of February's employment growth, contributing 10,800 jobs, significantly more than in Februarys past. The bulk of this growth came in state and local education which added 4,700 and 3,100 jobs respectively. Over the year the division has added 20,100 jobs, and state and local education together have gained 14,800 workers in that time. Other state government and federal government employment have declined over the year, while other local government, outside of education has increased by 6,400. It appears that schools and local governments are trying to expand payrolls to keep pace with population growth in the state.
Produced by the Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of
Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

5

0 Construction
-5

Mfg.

-10

TCPU

Wholesale trade

Retail

FIRE

Services

Gov't.

For more information, please contact Lili Stern at
(404) 656-3177 or (800) 338-2082 Fax (404) 651-9568
Email: Lili.Stern@dol.state.ga.us
3

Georgia Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary Revised Revised FEB 2001 JAN 2001 FEB 2000

Change in Jobs from JAN 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from FEB 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment Goods producing industries Mining
Construction General building contractors Heavy construction Special trade Manufacturing Durable goods Lumber and wood products
Furniture & fixtures Stone, clay, & glass products Primary metal industries Fabricated metal products Industrial machinery Electronic equipment Transportation equipment Other durable goods
Nondurable goods Food and kindred products Meat products Textile mill products Carpets & rugs Apparel & other finished textiles Paper and allied products
Printing and publishing Commercial printing Chemicals and allied products Other nondurable goods Service producing industries Transportation & public utilities Transportation Communications
Electric, gas, & sanitary services Trade Wholesale trade Retail trade
General merchandise Food stores Eating & drinking places
Finance, insurance, and real estate Finance Insurance Real estate Services Hotels and other lodging places Business services Personnel supply
Computer & D.P. services Amusement, recreation Health services Hospitals Educational services Social services Engineering & management
Other services Total government Total federal government
Department of Defense Total state government State education Total local government Local education

4,014.0 790.1 7.8 206.3
47.0 28.4 130.9 576.0 253.2 39.4 12.2 21.7
13.5 24.8 41.7 34.5 47.3 18.1 322.8
71.0 39.4 100.2 44.5 23.5 30.5 43.9 16.4
22.7 31.0 3,223.9 271.5 162.7 84.8 24.0
979.0 261.2 717.8
92.3 106.9 252.1 204.2
90.5
72.4 41.3 1,149.1 46.2 326.5 133.0 78.5
33.2 254.4 105.7
65.3 55.5 91.9 276.1 620.1
95.3 27.9 158.6 73.1 366.2 225.2

3,996.6 788.6 7.8 206.6
45.3 28.4 132.9 574.2 249.8 39.7 12.2 21.6
13.2 25.1 41.3 34.3 44.4 18.0 324.4
72.5 39.7 100.0 44.1 23.0 30.5 43.8 16.3
22.7 31.9 3,208.0 271.0 162.8 84.3 23.9
985.8 261.0 724.8
95.1 106.9 252.0 204.8
91.4
72.2 41.2 1,137.1 45.1 325.3 133.6 77.8
32.8 252.7 104.9
64.1 54.9 91.4 270.8 609.3
94.0 27.8 153.2 68.4 362.1 222.1

3,931.5 796.5 8.1 198.6
46.5 27.0 125.1 589.8 258.5 43.8 12.0 21.1
13.5 25.3 41.0 34.5 49.3 18.0 331.3
73.2 39.4 101.4 44.4 25.4 31.6 44.5 16.8
22.3 32.9 3,135.0 263.1 157.8 81.0 24.3
962.3 258.0 704.3
90.9 106.5 249.3 203.3
92.9
70.0 40.4 1,106.3 46.3 333.3 142.9 77.3
30.6 246.8 102.9
57.8 56.1 89.3 246.1 600.0
95.4 27.8 153.0 66.4 351.6 217.1

+17.4 +0.4 +1.5 +0.2 +.0 +0.0 -.3 -0.1
+1.7 +3.8 +.0 +0.0 -2.0 -1.5
+1.8 +0.3 +3.4 +1.4
-.3 -0.8 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.5
+.3 +2.3 -.3 -1.2 +.4 +1.0 +.2 +0.6 +2.9 +6.5 +.1 +0.6 -1.6 -0.5
-1.5 -2.1 -.3 -0.8 +.2 +0.2 +.4 +0.9 +.5 +2.2 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.2 +.1 +0.6
+.0 +0.0 -.9 -2.8 +15.9 +0.5 +.5 +0.2 -.1 -0.1 +.5 +0.6 +.1 +0.4
-6.8 -0.7 +.2 +0.1 -7.0 -1.0 -2.8 -2.9 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.0 -.6 -0.3 -.9 -1.0
+.2 +0.3 +.1 +0.2 +12.0 +1.1 +1.1 +2.4 +1.2 +0.4 -.6 -0.4 +.7 +0.9
+.4 +1.2 +1.7 +0.7
+.8 +0.8 +1.2 +1.9
+.6 +1.1 +.5 +0.5 +5.3 +2.0 +10.8 +1.8
+1.3 +1.4 +.1 +0.4
+5.4 +3.5 +4.7 +6.9 +4.1 +1.1 +3.1 +1.4

+82.5 +2.1 -6.4 -0.8 -.3 -3.7 +7.7 +3.9
+.5 +1.1 +1.4 +5.2 +5.8 +4.6 -13.8 -2.3 -5.3 -2.1 -4.4 -10.0
+.2 +1.7 +.6 +2.8
+.0 +0.0 -.5 -2.0 +.7 +1.7 +.0 +0.0 -2.0 -4.1 +.1 +0.6 -8.5 -2.6
-2.2 -3.0 +.0 +0.0 -1.2 -1.2 +.1 +0.2 -1.9 -7.5 -1.1 -3.5 -.6 -1.3 -.4 -2.4
+.4 +1.8 -1.9 -5.8 +88.9 +2.8 +8.4 +3.2 +4.9 +3.1 +3.8 +4.7
-.3 -1.2
+16.7 +1.7 +3.2 +1.2
+13.5 +1.9 +1.4 +1.5 +.4 +0.4 +2.8 +1.1 +.9 +0.4 -2.4 -2.6
+2.4 +3.4 +.9 +2.2
+42.8 +3.9 -.1 -0.2
-6.8 -2.0 -9.9 -6.9 +1.2 +1.6
+2.6 +8.5 +7.6 +3.1 +2.8 +2.7 +7.5 +13.0
-.6 -1.1 +2.6 +2.9 +30.0 +12.2 +20.1 +3.4
-.1 -0.1 +.1 +0.4 +5.6 +3.7 +6.7 +10.1 +14.6 +4.2 +8.1 +3.7

Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers

throughout Georgia. The estimates include all full- and part-time wage and salary workers who were employed during or received pay for any part of the pay period that includes the

twelfth of the month. Proprietors, domestic workers, self-employed persons, unpaid family workers and personnel of the armed forces are excluded. Estimates based on 2000 bench-

mark.

Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis

4

Georgia Hours and Earnings (000s)

Average Weekly Earnings
Preliminary Revised Revised Jan 2001 Dec 2000 Jan 2000

Average Weekly Hours
Preliminary Revised Revised Jan 2001 Dec 2000 Jan 2000

Average Hourly Earnings
Preliminary Revised Revised Jan 2001 Dec 2000 Jan 2000

Total manufacturing

$518.88 $526.18 $530.71

39.7

40.6

41.3 $13.07 $12.96 $12.85

Durable goods

$542.08 $530.75 $566.64

38.5

38.6

41.3 $14.08 $13.75 $13.72

Lumber and wood products

$421.63 $428.92 $426.62

36.6

37.2

38.4 $11.52 $11.53 $11.11

Furniture and fixtures

$421.20 $419.49 $401.25

39.0

39.8

39.3 $10.80 $10.54 $10.21

Stone, clay and glass products

$606.30 $594.49 $614.85

43.4

42.8

41.6 $13.97 $13.89 $14.78

Primary metal industries

$631.33 $607.92 $616.07

42.6

40.1

45.5 $14.82 $15.16 $13.54

Fabricated metal products

$499.28 $493.70 $489.30

40.2

40.6

42.4 $12.42 $12.16 $11.54

Industrial machinery

$511.13 $505.11 $529.19

39.5

39.4

42.2 $12.94 $12.82 $12.54

Electric and electronic equipment

$464.10 $471.37 $484.79

35.7

35.9

39.9 $13.00 $13.13 $12.15

Transportation equipment

$805.60 $777.31 $913.82

38.0

39.1

45.6 $21.20 $19.88 $20.04

Other durable goods

$419.63 $407.59 $393.60

34.2

33.3

32.8 $12.27 $12.24 $12.00

Nondurable goods

$501.00 $522.46 $502.62

40.6

42.1

41.3 $12.34 $12.41 $12.17

Food and kindred products

$492.05 $494.98 $471.50

40.8

41.7

41.0 $12.06 $11.87 $11.50

Meat products

$367.05 $384.46 $377.17

38.8

40.3

40.6

$9.46 $9.54 $9.29

Textile mill products

$455.62 $496.60 $474.96

41.8

44.3

43.1 $10.90 $11.21 $11.02

Carpets and rugs

$472.42 $538.08 $496.40

44.4

48.0

44.6 $10.64 $11.21 $11.13

Apparel and other finished textiles

$269.44 $288.99 $288.72

32.0

34.2

35.6

$8.42 $8.45 $8.11

Paper and allied products

$698.00 $701.52 $732.47

43.3

43.6

44.5 $16.12 $16.09 $16.46

Printing and publishing

$581.81 $610.34 $557.63

39.1

40.5

37.5 $14.88 $15.07 $14.87

Commerical printing

$647.36 $681.98 $625.38

41.9

43.3

42.0 $15.45 $15.75 $14.89

Chemicals and allied products

$644.56 $653.02 $677.73

41.8

41.2

42.2 $15.42 $15.85 $16.06

Other nondurable goods

$488.74 $504.69 $473.85

39.8

41.3

40.5 $12.28 $12.22 $11.70

Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data exclude supervisory, sales, clerical and other office

personnel. Average earnings are computed on a "gross" basis, reflecting changes in basic hourly and incentive wage rates, as well as any premium pay for overtime and late shift work.

Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis

Georgia Average Weekly Hours

Manufacturing production workers

*Preliminary Estimate

42.5

42.0 41.7
41.6

41.5 41.3

41.3

41.2

41.2

41.1

41.1

41.0

40.9

41.0

40.7

40.6

40.5

40.0 39.7

39.5

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

2000

2001

5

Atlanta Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary Revised Revised FEB 2001 JAN 2001 FEB 2000

Change in Jobs from JAN 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from FEB 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment Goods producing industries Mining Construction
General building contractors Heavy construction Special trade Manufacturing Durable goods Lumber and wood products Stone, clay, and glass products Primary metal industries Fabricated metal products Industrial machinery Electronic equipment Transportation equipment Other durable goods Nondurable goods Food and kindred products Textile mill products Apparel and other finished textiles Paper and allied products Printing and publishing
Commercial printing Chemicals and allied products Other nondurable goods Service producing industries Transportation & public utilities Transportation Communications & public utilities Trade Wholesale trade
Wholesale--durable goods Wholesale--nondurable goods Retail trade General merchandise Food stores Eating & drinking places Miscellaneous retail Finance, insurance, and real estate Finance Insurance Real estate Services Hotels and other lodging places Business services Personnel supply Computer & D.P. services Amusement, including movies Health services Hospitals Social services Engineering & management Other services Total government Total federal government Total state government Total local government

2,209.5 338.4 1.9 118.3 27.2 14.0 77.1 218.2 110.8 9.1 9.7 8.2 11.7 16.1 17.0 22.0 17.0 107.4 24.0 10.1 7.5 12.5 27.9 9.8 10.8 14.6
1,871.1 196.6 118.6 78.0 576.3 179.4 126.0 53.4 396.9 47.2 57.2 142.6 50.0 139.4 58.7 51.8 28.9 684.4 27.8 229.1 88.1 64.3 28.6 129.1 55.8 30.8 67.4 171.6 274.4 47.6 55.8 171.0

2,204.2 338.6 1.9 119.6 26.0 14.2 79.4 217.1 109.1 9.1 9.6 8.0 11.7 16.2 17.0 20.5 17.0 108.0 24.7 10.2 7.4 12.5 27.7 9.7 10.7 14.8
1,865.6 195.1 117.5 77.6 580.3 178.6 125.9 52.7 401.7 50.1 57.1 143.1 50.1 140.1 59.7 51.6 28.8 681.1 27.8 230.3 90.7 63.8 28.5 127.6 55.2 30.2 67.1 169.6 269.0 46.4 54.0 168.6

2,165.7 339.0 1.9 114.4 26.0 14.1 74.3 222.7 112.1 8.8 9.5 7.7 11.8 16.6 18.6 22.0 17.1 110.6 25.5 10.4 7.8 12.9 28.4 10.4 10.5 15.1
1,826.7 190.6 113.5 77.1 560.0 175.6 123.6 52.0 384.4 46.1 55.8 137.5 46.7 137.8 61.3 48.7 27.8 673.4 27.4 232.9 91.5 64.4 27.3 124.5 53.6 31.1 66.3 163.9 264.9 46.7 54.5 163.7

+5.3 +0.2 -.2 -0.1 +.0 +0.0
-1.3 -1.1 +1.2 +4.6
-.2 -1.4 -2.3 -2.9 +1.1 +0.5 +1.7 +1.6 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +1.0 +.2 +2.5 +.0 +0.0
-.1 -0.6 +.0 +0.0 +1.5 +7.3 +.0 +0.0 -.6 -0.6 -.7 -2.8 -.1 -1.0 +.1 +1.4 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +0.7 +.1 +1.0 +.1 +0.9 -.2 -1.4 +5.5 +0.3 +1.5 +0.8 +1.1 +0.9 +.4 +0.5 -4.0 -0.7 +.8 +0.4 +.1 +0.1 +.7 +1.3 -4.8 -1.2 -2.9 -5.8 +.1 +0.2 -.5 -0.3 -.1 -0.2 -.7 -0.5 -1.0 -1.7 +.2 +0.4 +.1 +0.3 +3.3 +0.5 +.0 +0.0 -1.2 -0.5 -2.6 -2.9 +.5 +0.8 +.1 +0.4 +1.5 +1.2 +.6 +1.1 +.6 +2.0 +.3 +0.4 +2.0 +1.2 +5.4 +2.0 +1.2 +2.6 +1.8 +3.3 +2.4 +1.4

+43.8 +2.0 -.6 -0.2 +.0 +0.0
+3.9 +3.4 +1.2 +4.6
-.1 -0.7 +2.8 +3.8 -4.5 -2.0 -1.3 -1.2
+.3 +3.4 +.2 +2.1 +.5 +6.5 -.1 -0.8 -.5 -3.0 -1.6 -8.6 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.6 -3.2 -2.9 -1.5 -5.9 -.3 -2.9 -.3 -3.8 -.4 -3.1 -.5 -1.8 -.6 -5.8 +.3 +2.9 -.5 -3.3 +44.4 +2.4 +6.0 +3.1 +5.1 +4.5 +.9 +1.2 +16.3 +2.9 +3.8 +2.2 +2.4 +1.9 +1.4 +2.7 +12.5 +3.3 +1.1 +2.4 +1.4 +2.5 +5.1 +3.7 +3.3 +7.1 +1.6 +1.2 -2.6 -4.2 +3.1 +6.4 +1.1 +4.0 +11.0 +1.6 +.4 +1.5 -3.8 -1.6 -3.4 -3.7 -.1 -0.2 +1.3 +4.8 +4.6 +3.7 +2.2 +4.1 -.3 -1.0 +1.1 +1.7 +7.7 +4.7 +9.5 +3.6 +.9 +1.9 +1.3 +2.4 +7.3 +4.5

Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers

in the Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry,

Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spalding and Walton counties. The estimates include all full- and part-time wage and salary workers who were employed during or received pay for any part of the pay period that includes the twelfth of the month. Proprietors, domestic workers, self-employed persons, unpaid family workers and personnel of the armed forces are

excluded. Estimates based on 2000 benchmark.

Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis
6

Albany Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary Revised Revised FEB 2001 JAN 2001 FEB 2000

Change in Jobs from JAN 2001 Net %

Change in Jobs from FEB 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment Goods producing industries Mining Contract construction Manufacturing
Durable goods Nondurable goods Food and kindred products Textile mill products Chemicals and allied products Other nondurable goods Service producing industries

58.5

59.0

58.2

11.7

11.8

11.6

.0

.0

.0

3.7

3.6

3.4

8.0

8.2

8.2

1.4

1.4

1.5

6.6

6.8

6.7

1.6

1.7

1.7

.8

.9

.9

.6

.6

.6

3.6

3.6

3.5

46.8

47.2

46.6

-.5 -0.8 -.1 -0.8 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +2.8 -.2 -2.4 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -2.9 -.1 -5.9 -.1 -11.1 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.4 -0.8

+.3 +0.5 +.1 +0.9 +.0 +0.0 +.3 +8.8 -.2 -2.4 -.1 -6.7 -.1 -1.5 -.1 -5.9 -.1 -11.1 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +2.9 +.2 +0.4

Transportation, communications, and public utilities
Wholesale and retail trade Wholesale trade Retail trade Finance, insurance, and real estate Services Government Federal State and local

3.5

3.5

3.4

13.7

13.9

13.7

3.0

3.1

2.9

10.7

10.8

10.8

1.7

1.7

1.7

15.9

15.9

15.7

12.0

12.2

12.1

2.7

2.7

2.8

9.3

9.5

9.3

+.0 +0.0 -.2 -1.4 -.1 -3.2 -.1 -0.9 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -1.6 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -2.1

+.1 +2.9 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +3.4 -.1 -0.9 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +1.3 -.1 -0.8 -.1 -3.6 +.0 +0.0

Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers
in the Albany Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Dougherty and Lee counties. The estimates include all full- and part-time wage and salary workers who were employed during or received pay for any part of the pay period that includes the twelfth of the month. Proprietors, domestic workers, self-employed persons, unpaid family workers and personnel of the armed forces are excluded. Estimates based on 2000 benchmark.

Athens Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary Revised Revised FEB 2001 JAN 2001 FEB 2000

Change in Jobs from JAN 2001 Net %

Change in Jobs from FEB 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

74.3

73.0

72.4

+1.3 +1.8

+1.9 +2.6

Goods producing industries

14.8

14.7

14.8

+.1 +0.7

+.0 +0.0

Construction and mining

3.3

3.2

3.1

+.1 +3.1

+.2 +6.5

Manufacturing

11.5

11.5

11.7

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -1.7

Durable goods

5.6

5.6

5.6

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Nondurable goods

5.9

5.9

6.1

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -3.3

Food and kindred products

3.1

3.1

3.1

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Textiles and apparel

1.3

1.3

1.3

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Other nondurable goods

1.5

1.5

1.7

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -11.8

Service producing industries

59.5

58.3

57.6

+1.2 +2.1

+1.9 +3.3

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

2.1

2.1

1.9

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +10.5

Wholesale and retail trade

17.5

17.4

17.1

+.1 +0.6

+.4 +2.3

Wholesale trade

2.9

2.9

2.7

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +7.4

Retail trade

14.6

14.5

14.4

+.1 +0.7

+.2 +1.4

Finance, insurance, and real estate

2.2

2.2

2.3

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -4.3

Services

17.1

17.1

16.8

+.0 +0.0

+.3 +1.8

Government

20.6

19.5

19.5

+1.1 +5.6

+1.1 +5.6

Federal

1.9

1.9

1.7

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +11.8

State and local

18.7

17.6

17.8

+1.1 +6.3

+.9 +5.1

Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers

in the Athens Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Clarke, Madison and Oconee counties. The estimates include all full- and part-time wage and salary workers who were employed during or received pay for any part of the pay period that includes the twelfth of the month. Proprietors, domestic workers, self-employed persons, unpaid family workers and personnel of the armed forces are excluded. Estimates based on 2000 benchmark.

Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis

7

Augusta-Aiken Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary Revised Revised FEB 2001 JAN 2001 FEB 2000

Change in Jobs from JAN 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from FEB 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

203.6

203.4

200.5

+.2 +0.1

+3.1 +1.5

Goods producing industries

43.4

43.2

42.4

+.2 +0.5

+1.0 +2.4

Mining

.3

.3

.3

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Contract construction

13.5

13.3

12.7

+.2 +1.5

+.8 +6.3

Manufacturing

29.6

29.6

29.4

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +0.7

Durable goods

11.9

12.0

11.5

-.1 -0.8

+.4 +3.5

Lumber and wood products

1.2

1.2

1.2

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Stone, clay, and glass products

2.5

2.6

2.6

-.1 -3.8

-.1 -3.8

Other durable goods

8.2

8.2

7.7

+.0 +0.0

+.5 +6.5

Nondurable goods

17.7

17.6

17.9

+.1 +0.6

-.2 -1.1

Food and kindred products

2.4

2.3

2.4

+.1 +4.3

+.0 +0.0

Textile mill products

4.8

4.8

5.0

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -4.0

Apparel and other finished textiles

1.7

1.7

1.8

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -5.6

Printing and publishing

1.9

1.9

1.8

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +5.6

Other nondurable goods

6.9

6.9

6.9

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Service producing industries

160.2

160.2

158.1

+.0 +0.0

+2.1 +1.3

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

17.3

17.3

17.1

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +1.2

Wholesale and retail trade

43.3

43.3

42.6

+.0 +0.0

+.7 +1.6

Wholesale trade

4.7

4.7

4.6

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +2.2

Retail trade

38.6

38.6

38.0

+.0 +0.0

+.6 +1.6

Finance, insurance, and real estate

6.2

6.2

6.1

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +1.6

Services

51.6

51.6

50.3

+.0 +0.0

+1.3 +2.6

Government

41.8

41.8

42.0

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -0.5

Federal

7.5

7.5

7.4

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +1.4

State and local

34.3

34.3

34.6

+.0 +0.0

-.3 -0.9

Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers in

the Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Columbia, McDuffie and Richmond counties in Georgia and Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina. The estimates include

all full- and part-time wage and salary workers who were employed during or received pay for any part of the pay period that includes the twelfth of the month. Proprietors, domestic workers, self-employed persons, unpaid family workers and personnel of the armed forces are excluded. Estimates based on 2000 benchmark.

Columbus Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary Revised Revised FEB 2001 JAN 2001 FEB 2000

Change in Jobs from JAN 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from FEB 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

120.8

120.8

120.1

+.0 +0.0

+.7 +0.6

Goods producing industries

25.4

25.9

26.6

-.5 -1.9

-1.2 -4.5

Construction and mining

5.5

5.3

5.5

+.2 +3.8

+.0 +0.0

Manufacturing

19.9

20.6

21.1

-.7 -3.4

-1.2 -5.7

Durable goods

8.6

8.6

9.0

+.0 +0.0

-.4 -4.4

Nondurable goods

11.3

12.0

12.1

-.7 -5.8

-.8 -6.6

Food and kindred products

2.6

3.0

3.2

-.4 -13.3

-.6 -18.8

Textile mill products

5.5

5.8

5.6

-.3 -5.2

-.1 -1.8

Printing and publishing

1.0

1.0

1.2

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -16.7

Other nondurable goods

2.2

2.2

2.1

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +4.8

Service producing industries

95.4

94.9

93.5

+.5 +0.5

+1.9 +2.0

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

4.7

4.7

4.2

+.0 +0.0

+.5 +11.9

Wholesale and retail trade

26.1

26.2

25.6

-.1 -0.4

+.5 +2.0

Wholesale trade

3.0

3.0

2.9

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +3.4

Retail trade

23.1

23.2

22.7

-.1 -0.4

+.4 +1.8

Finance, insurance, and real estate

8.9

8.8

8.0

+.1 +1.1

+.9 +11.3

Services

33.9

33.8

34.0

+.1 +0.3

-.1 -0.3

Government

21.8

21.4

21.7

+.4 +1.9

+.1 +0.5

Federal

5.8

5.7

5.8

+.1 +1.8

+.0 +0.0

State and local

16.0

15.7

15.9

+.3 +1.9

+.1 +0.6

Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected

employers in the Columbus Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Chattahoochee, Harris and Muscogee counties in Georgia and Russell County in Alabama. The estimates

include all full- and part-time wage and salary workers who were employed during or received pay for any part of the pay period that includes the twelfth of the month. Proprietors,

domestic workers, self-employed persons, unpaid family workers and personnel of the armed forces are excluded. Estimates based on 2000 benchmark.

Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis

8

Macon Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary Revised Revised FEB 2001 JAN 2001 FEB 2000

Change in Jobs from JAN 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from FEB 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

151.3

150.7

150.9

+.6 +0.4

+.4 +0.3

Goods producing industries

26.1

26.3

26.6

-.2 -0.8

-.5 -1.9

Mining

.8

.8

.8

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Contract construction

6.6

6.6

6.7

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -1.5

Manufacturing

18.7

18.9

19.1

-.2 -1.1

-.4 -2.1

Durable goods

9.1

9.2

9.4

-.1 -1.1

-.3 -3.2

Nondurable goods

9.6

9.7

9.7

-.1 -1.0

-.1 -1.0

Food and kindred products

2.3

2.4

2.4

-.1 -4.2

-.1 -4.2

Textile and apparel products

.9

.9

.9

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Paper and allied products

1.5

1.5

1.5

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Other nondurable goods

4.9

4.9

4.9

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Service producing industries

125.2

124.4

124.3

+.8 +0.6

+.9 +0.7

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

6.0

6.1

5.7

-.1 -1.6

+.3 +5.3

Wholesale and retail trade

34.7

34.7

34.6

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +0.3

Wholesale trade

5.1

5.1

4.9

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +4.1

Retail trade

29.6

29.6

29.7

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -0.3

Finance, insurance, and real estate

9.0

9.1

9.4

-.1 -1.1

-.4 -4.3

Services

42.2

41.4

41.7

+.8 +1.9

+.5 +1.2

Government

33.3

33.1

32.9

+.2 +0.6

+.4 +1.2

Federal

14.0

13.9

13.8

+.1 +0.7

+.2 +1.4

State and local

19.3

19.2

19.1

+.1 +0.5

+.2 +1.0

Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers

in the Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Bibb, Houston, Jones, Peach and Twiggs counties. The estimates include all full- and part-time wage and salary workers who

were employed during or received pay for any part of the pay period that includes the twelfth of the month. Proprietors, domestic workers, self-employed persons, unpaid family workers

and personnel of the armed forces are excluded. Estimates based on 2000 benchmark.

Savannah Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary Revised Revised FEB 2001 JAN 2001 FEB 2000

Change in Jobs from JAN 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from FEB 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment Goods producing industries Construction and mining Manufacturing
Durable goods Lumber and wood products Transportation equipment Other durable goods Nondurable goods Food and kindred products Paper and allied products Chemicals and allied products Petroleum and coal products Other nondurable goods Service producing industries

136.8 25.5 9.1 16.4 9.0 .8 5.8 2.4 7.4 1.4 3.3 1.5 .3 .9
111.3

136.3 25.8 9.0 16.8 9.3 .9 5.9 2.5 7.5 1.5 3.3 1.5 .2 1.0
110.5

136.0 25.7 8.3 17.4 9.7 .8 6.5 2.4 7.7 1.4 3.5 1.5 .3 1.0
110.3

+.5 +0.4 -.3 -1.2 +.1 +1.1 -.4 -2.4 -.3 -3.2 -.1 -11.1 -.1 -1.7 -.1 -4.0 -.1 -1.3 -.1 -6.7 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +50.0 -.1 -10.0 +.8 +0.7

+.8 +0.6 -.2 -0.8 +.8 +9.6 -1.0 -5.7 -.7 -7.2 +.0 +0.0 -.7 -10.8 +.0 +0.0 -.3 -3.9 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -5.7 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -10.0 +1.0 +0.9

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

9.5

9.4

9.0

+.1 +1.1

+.5 +5.6

Wholesale and retail trade

34.7

34.5

34.7

+.2 +0.6

+.0 +0.0

Wholesale trade

5.4

5.4

5.5

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -1.8

Retail trade

29.3

29.1

29.2

+.2 +0.7

+.1 +0.3

Finance, insurance, and real estate

4.7

4.7

4.5

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +4.4

Services

42.2

41.9

41.6

+.3 +0.7

+.6 +1.4

Government

20.2

20.0

20.5

+.2 +1.0

-.3 -1.5

Federal

2.7

2.7

2.8

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -3.6

State and local

17.5

17.3

17.7

+.2 +1.2

-.2 -1.1

Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers

in the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Bryan, Chatham and Effingham counties. The estimates include all full- and part-time wage and salary workers who were

employed during or received pay for any part of the pay period that includes the twelfth of the month. Proprietors, domestic workers, self-employed persons, unpaid family workers and

personnel of the armed forces are excluded. Estimates based on 2000 benchmark.

Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis

9

Dimensions - Measuring Georgia's Labor Force

Unemployment rate up

Unemployment rates -- Georgia and U.S.

slightly in February

6.0%

Nearly unchanged over the month,

Georgia

U.S.

Georgia's unemployment rate inched up

scarcely from 3.3 percent in January to 3.4 5.0%

percent in February. This increase, which

was below average for this time period

at one-tenth percentage point, was expected, having increased from January to 4.0%

February twenty-eight of the past thirty-

two years, the last nineteen of which were

consecutive years. Despite the state's January-to-February increase, Georgia's

3.0%

rate in February was the lowest recorded

rate for that month ever. One year ear-

lier, at 3.8 percent, the state's rate was higher by four-tenths percentage point.

2.0% Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb

The U.S. unemployment rate, not season-

2000

2001

ally adjusted, declined one-tenth percentage point over the month to 4.6 percent in February. One year ago, unemployment in the nation was at 4.4 percent. By comparison, Georgia continued to fare favorably to the nation as a whole this month. At one and two-tenths percentage points below the nation's rate, the state's jobless rate has prevailed at or below the U.S. rate for the past four months and has exceeded the nation's rate only seven times in just over ten years.
Following last month's decline, nonagricultural employment rebounded in February, fueling the expansion in total civilian employment. Georgia's total number of civilian employed increased by 14,000 or 0.3 percent from January to February. Over the year, the total number of civilian employed was up by more than 70,000 or 1.8 percent.

Despite a decrease in the number of persons receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the reference week in February, the total number of unemployed Georgians was up over the month by less than 7,000 or 4.9 percent due primarily to an increase in the number of re-entrants in the labor force. In spite of the increase in February, the total number of unemployed, at less than 144,000, was down over the year by more than 14,500 and at its lowest February level in more than twenty years. Georgia's low unemployment rate and its slower-thanusual job growth have prompted more people to re-enter the labor force in search of employment.
Area data
The unemployment situation in six of Georgia's seven Metropolitan Statistical

Areas (MSAs) followed the statewide trend and posted over-the-month increases in their rates in February. At 5.5 percent, Albany MSA registered the largest over-the-month gain, six-tenths percentage point, and had the highest rate of all metro areas in the state. Athens MSA, at 2.8 percent, had the lowest metro area rate and was also one of four MSAs to post a rate at or below the state. The other three areas were Atlanta MSA, at 3.0 percent, Macon MSA, at 3.4 percent and Savannah MSA, at 3.0 percent.
Unemployment rates in most of Georgia's counties followed the statewide trend with higher over-the-month rates in February. Eighty-five counties posted increases, fifty-nine counties saw declines and the remaining fifteen counties were essentially unchanged over the month. Jobless rates in the state ranged from as

high as 12.8 percent recorded in

Southeastern states and U.S. unemployment rates
Percent 8

Randolph County to a low of 1.6 percent in Oconee County.

February January

7

Despite being one of three states to post an over-

6

5 5.1 4.9

4.6 4.8 5.0 5.0 4.8 4.7

4.9 4.4

4.6 4.7

4.0

4

3.6

3.4 3.3

4.0 4.0

the-month increase, Georgia, at 3.4 percent in February, posted the lowest unemployment rate of all states in the region for the third consecutive month. Georgia was also one of five states (the other four were Florida, at 3.6 percent, Kentucky, at 4.6 percent, South Carolina, at 4.0

3

percent and Tennessee, at 4.4 percent) to register a jobless rate at or below the nation's rate

of 4.6 percent. In a position typically held by

2

Mississippi, Alabama, at 5.1 percent, gained the

distinction of being the state in the Southeast

1

with the highest unemployment rate in Febru-

ary. Mississippi, at only one-tenth percentage

0

point below Alabama's rate, was essentially un-

AL

FL

GA

KY

MS

NC

SC

TN

US

changed over the month at 5.0 percent.

10

Georgia
Albany MSA
Athens MSA
Atlanta MSA
Augusta-Aiken, GA-SC MSA Columbus, GA-AL MSA Macon MSA
Savannah MSA

Georgia Labor Force Estimates (not seasonally adjusted) Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

Employment Status
Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

Preliminary FEB 2001
4,179,470 4,035,647
143,823 3.4

Revised JAN 2001
4,158,694 4,021,597
137,097 3.3

Revised FEB 2000
4,123,903 3,965,563
158,340 3.8

Change From

Revised

Revised

JAN 2001

FEB 2000

20,776 14,050
6,726 --

55,567 70,084 -14,517
--

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

55,610 52,558
3,052 5.5

55,315 52,615
2,700 4.9

55,691 52,097
3,594 6.5

295

-81

-57

461

352

-542

--

--

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

74,152 72,093
2,059 2.8

72,720 70,830
1,890 2.6

72,194 70,390
1,804 2.5

1,432 1,263
169 --

1,958 1,703
255 --

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

2,275,555 2,207,297
68,258 3.0

2,261,328 2,199,720
61,608 2.7

2,232,745 2,162,587
70,158 3.1

14,227 7,577 6,650 --

42,810 44,710 -1,900
--

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

207,438 199,896
7,542 3.6

206,591 198,879
7,712 3.7

205,928 195,319
10,609 5.2

847 1,017 -170
--

1,510 4,577 -3,067
--

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

125,460 120,446
5,014 4.0

124,996 120,261
4,735 3.8

125,935 119,137
6,798 5.4

464

-475

185

1,309

279

-1,784

--

--

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

151,144 145,988
5,156 3.4

149,958 145,030
4,928 3.3

151,819 145,430
6,389 4.2

1,186 958 228 --

-675 558 -1,233
--

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

134,083 130,103
3,980 3.0

133,080 129,294
3,786 2.8

134,398 129,354
5,044 3.8

1,003 809 194 --

-315 749 -1,064
--

United States Labor Force Estimates Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

Area
United States
(Seasonally adjusted)

Employment Status
Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

FEB 2001
141,751,000 135,815,000
5,936,000 4.2

JAN 2001
141,955,000 135,999,000
5,956,000 4.2

FEB 2000
140,860,000 135,120,000
5,740,000 4.1

Change From

JAN 2001

FEB 2000

-204,000 -184,000
-20,000 --

891,000 695,000 196,000
--

United States
(Not Seasonally adjusted)

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed

141,238,000 134,774,000
6,464,000

141,049,000 134,462,000
6,587,000

140,185,000 133,954,000
6,231,000

189,000 312,000 -123,000

1,053,000 820,000 233,000

Rate

4.6

4.7

4.4

--

--

Note: Employment includes nonagricultural wage and salary employment, self-employment, unpaid family and private household w orkers and agricultural workers .

Persons in labor disputes are counted as employed. The use of unrounded data does not imply that the numbers are exact. Georgia and Metropolitan

Statistical Area data have not been seasonally adjusted . Seasonally adjusted data for Georgia available upon request. Albany MSA: Includes Dougherty and Lee counties

Athens MSA: Includes Clarke, Madison, and Oconee counties

Atlanta MSA: Includes Barrow , Bartow , Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette , Forsyth, Ful ton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton counties

Augusta-Aiken MSA: Includes Columbia, McDuffie and Richmond counties in Georgia and Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina Columbus MSA: Includes Chattahoochee, Harris and Muscogee counties in Georgia and Russell County in Alabama

Macon MSA : Includes Bibb, Houston, Jones, Peach, and Twiggs counties

Savannah MSA: Includes Byran, Chatham, and Effingham counties

Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis

11

Spotlight: Service Delivery Region Two

As stable as the green rolling hills and majestic mountains that dot the topography of northeastern Georgia, the communities and citizens of Service Delivery Region Two just quietly go about their business, silently bucking the trends that have beset the nation's economy in recent years. Snuggled up against the border with our Carolina neighbors, the area extends from Union to Rabun Counties along the northern edge, then southeastward to Hart and westward to Hall and Forsyth Counties. The total area consists of a baker's dozen of mostly small, rural counties, with only the southwestern corner feeling the impact of urban sprawl spreading northward from the Atlanta metroplex.
The total population of the area increased a phenomenal 23.8 percent between 1995 and 2000, totaling roughly 439,400 in the latest estimate.

The statewide growth rate of 13.9 percent over the same time frame pales in comparison, as does the growth rate for most rural areas of Georgia. The civilian labor force for the area grew even more rapidly (28.4%) over the 1995 to 2000 time frame, once again far outdistancing the state growth of only 15.4 percent. How have the communities of SDR Two been able to accomplish this? The answer is simple -- the employers in the area have managed to keep their operations efficient and profitable enough to provide jobs for its citizens. Since 1995 the jobless rate for the region has consistently been well below the statewide figure, often besting the state rate by a full percentage point or more. From a high of 4.1 percent in 1995 the area has seen its jobless percentage decline steadily, standing at a mere 2.5 percent in calendar year 2000.

As is true for much of northern Georgia, SDR Two has always banked on a solid base of manufacturing jobs to fuel its economy. Textile mills, food processors, machinery makers and other assorted industries still account for more than one out of every four jobs in the region. While other areas of the state or nation move toward a service based economy, SDR Two bucks the trend, showing very little increase in service sector jobs over the past five years. In fact, the industrial mix of the area has shifted only slightly, with construction being the only category to significantly increase its share of total employment. The employers and citizens of the region have survived short-term layoffs and plant closings in recent years, absorbing dislocated workers into the remaining businesses and keeping this quiet little corner of Georgia on solid economic footing.

Dillard House, Dillard, Georgia
12

Spotlight: Service Delivery Region Two

SDR #2

Towns Union

Rabun

White Habersham

Lumpkin

Stephens

Dawson

Hall

Banks Franklin Hart

Forsyth

550,000 500,000 450,000 400,000 350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000
50,000 0

Population/labor force growth - SDR 2

Population

Labor Force

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

Career Centers
Blairsville ...............(706) 745-6959 Gainesville ..............(770) 535-5484 Habersham............. (706) 776-0811 Toccoa......................(706) 282-4514

Unemployment rates - Georgia vs SDR 2

SDR 2

Georgia

5.0

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0 1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

Industry mix 1997

Agriculture 2%

Construction 6%

Industry mix 2000

Agriculture 2%

Construction 7%

Government 15%
Services 20%

Manufacturing 27%

TCU 3%
FIRE
3%

Trade 24%

Mining 0%

Government 15%
Services 20%

Manufacturing 27%

TCU 3%
FIRE
3%

Trade 23%

Mining 0%
13

Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

County
Georgia

Preliminary February 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

4,179,470 4,035,647 143,823

3.4

Appling Atkinson Bacon Baker Baldwin

8,121 7,476 645 7.9

3,407 3,133 274 8.0

4,365 4,119 246 5.6

1,562 1,487

75 4.8

18,501 17,903 598 3.2

Revised January 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

4,158,694 4,021,597 137,097 3.3

8,116 3,521 4,458 1,623 18,360

7,484 3,176 4,130 1,555 17,718

632 7.8 345 9.8 328 7.4
68 4.2 642 3.5

Banks Barrow Bartow Ben Hill Berrien

6,446 6,264 182 2.8 22,169 21,154 1,015 4.6 41,403 39,513 1,890 4.6
9,345 8,874 471 5.0 6,476 6,110 366 5.7

Bibb Bleckley Brantley Brooks Bryan

72,378 69,466 2,912 4.0 5,829 5,703 126 2.2 6,411 6,098 313 4.9 7,792 7,460 332 4.3
11,040 10,791 249 2.3

Bulloch Burke Butts Calhoun Camden

26,996 26,342 654 2.4 8,824 8,342 482 5.5 9,156 8,732 424 4.6 2,414 2,251 163 6.8
17,223 16,593 630 3.7

Candler

3,818 3,666 152 4.0

Carroll

46,109 43,891 2,218 4.8

Catoosa

27,011 26,446 565 2.1

Charlton

3,877 3,725 152 3.9

Chatham 104,730 101,496 3,234 3.1

Chattahoochee 2,382 2,252 130 5.5

Chattooga

12,103 11,640 463

3.8

Cherokee

83,541 81,957 1,584 1.9

Clarke

46,808 45,343 1,465 3.1

Clay

1,578 1,460 118 7.5

Clayton Clinch Cobb Coffee Colquitt

127,200 123,064 4,136 3.3 3,562 3,303 259 7.3
365,292 356,806 8,486 2.3 20,894 19,850 1,044 5.0 19,487 18,405 1,082 5.6

Columbia Cook Coweta Crawford Crisp

44,934 43,975 959 2.1 8,329 7,952 377 4.5
47,312 46,028 1,284 2.7 6,097 5,917 180 3.0 9,538 9,048 490 5.1

6,414 22,051 41,211
9,362 6,506

6,278 21,081 39,378
8,900 6,200

136 2.1 970 4.4 1,833 4.4 462 4.9 306 4.7

71,777 5,865 6,420 7,718
10,975

69,010 5,689 6,057 7,431
10,724

2,767 3.9 176 3.0 363 5.7 287 3.7 251 2.3

26,832 8,847 9,083 2,477
17,056

26,206 8,349 8,660 2,312
16,458

626 2.3 498 5.6 423 4.7 165 6.7 598 3.5

3,858 45,400 26,781
3,851 103,960

3,716 43,740 26,177
3,695 100,865

142 3.7 1,660 3.7
604 2.3 156 4.1 3,095 3.0

2,368 11,971 83,100 45,910
1,605

2,249 11,535 81,676 44,548
1,491

119 5.0 436 3.6 1,424 1.7 1,362 3.0 114 7.1

126,801 3,550
362,898 21,213 19,717

122,641 3,314
355,581 19,918 18,556

4,160 3.3 236 6.6
7,317 2.0 1,295 6.1 1,161 5.9

44,739 8,408
46,951 6,081 9,736

43,871 7,983
45,870 5,905 9,120

868 1.9 425 5.1 1,081 2.3 176 2.9 616 6.3

Revised February 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

4,123,903 3,965,563 158,340

3.8

8,023 3,415 4,256 1,599 18,318

7,326 3,187 4,056 1,525 17,459

697 8.7 228 6.7 200 4.7
74 4.6 859 4.7

6,355 6,129

226 3.6

21,378 20,725

653 3.1

40,262 38,713 1,549 3.8

9,309 8,775

534 5.7

6,450 6,013

437 6.8

72,809 69,200 3,609 5.0

5,839 5,619

220 3.8

6,215 5,821

394 6.3

7,616 7,262

354 4.6

11,035 10,729

306 2.8

26,732 8,961 8,874 2,417
16,888

26,053 8,242 8,432 2,246
16,291

679 2.5 719 8.0 442 5.0 171 7.1 597 3.5

3,930 3,699

231 5.9

45,115 43,002 2,113 4.7

26,789 26,138

651 2.4

3,808 3,657

151 4.0

105,052 100,912 4,140 3.9

2,443 2,234

209 8.6

11,676 11,322

354 3.0

82,027 80,297 1,730 2.1

45,491 44,272 1,219 2.7

1,572 1,466

106 6.7

125,054 120,571 4,483 3.6

3,370 3,262

108 3.2

358,919 349,578 9,341 2.6

20,830 19,751 1,079 5.2

19,515 18,376 1,139 5.8

44,683 43,267 1,416 3.2

8,207 7,796

411 5.0

47,104 45,096 2,008 4.3

5,984 5,727

257 4.3

9,593 8,918

675 7.0

14

Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

County
Dade Dawson Decatur DeKalb Dodge

Preliminary February 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,471 7,306 165 2.2 17,466 17,175 291 1.7 11,769 11,098 671 5.7 368,399 354,448 13,951 3.8
9,731 9,470 261 2.7

Revised January 2001

Revised February 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,402 7,232

170 2.3

17,369 17,113

256 1.5

11,742 11,149

593 5.1

365,836 353,231 12,605 3.4

9,796 9,480

316 3.2

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,504 7,221

283 3.8

16,861 16,570

291 1.7

11,971 11,274

697 5.8

361,183 347,268 13,915 3.9

9,839 9,397

442 4.5

Dooly Dougherty Douglas Early Echols

4,517 4,256 261 5.8

43,701 41,124 2,577 5.9

53,244 51,906 1,338 2.5

4,642 4,336 306 6.6

1,259 1,229

30 2.4

4,522 4,289

233 5.2

43,494 41,169 2,325 5.3

53,044 51,728 1,316 2.5

4,713 4,418

295 6.3

1,261 1,224

37 2.9

4,495 4,194

301 6.7

43,766 40,763 3,003 6.9

52,435 50,855 1,580 3.0

4,808 4,394

414 8.6

1,273 1,196

77 6.0

Effingham Elbert Emanuel Evans Fannin

18,313 17,816 497 2.7 8,937 8,382 555 6.2 8,418 7,985 433 5.1 4,960 4,776 184 3.7 9,471 9,173 298 3.1

18,145 9,083 8,485 5,003 9,385

17,705 8,374 7,998 4,788 9,129

440 2.4 709 7.8 487 5.7 215 4.3 256 2.7

18,311 8,990 8,925 4,961 9,325

17,713 8,219 7,966 4,750 9,028

598 3.3 771 8.6 959 10.7 211 4.3 297 3.2

Fayette Floyd Forsyth Franklin Fulton

51,856 50,982 874 1.7 45,701 43,822 1,879 4.1 56,238 55,198 1,040 1.8 10,771 10,205 566 5.3 411,635 397,573 14,062 3.4

51,543 50,807

736 1.4 50,942 49,949

993 1.9

45,232 43,373 1,859 4.1 44,687 42,994 1,693 3.8

55,873 55,008

865 1.5 55,034 54,080

954 1.7

10,681 10,191

490 4.6 10,567 10,156

411 3.9

409,016 396,208 12,808 3.1 404,729 389,520 15,209 3.8

Gilmer Glascock Glynn Gordon Grady

8,210 7,953 257 3.1

1,013

968

45 4.4

35,976 34,866 1,110 3.1

23,525 21,997 1,528 6.5

9,072 8,650 422 4.7

8,160 7,927

233 2.9

1,017

969

48 4.7

35,607 34,500 1,107 3.1

23,475 21,870 1,605 6.8

9,207 8,815

392 4.3

8,047 7,790

257 3.2

994

931

63 6.3

34,915 33,648 1,267 3.6

22,052 21,298

754 3.4

9,254 8,643

611 6.6

Greene

5,747 5,456 291 5.1

Gwinnett

349,523 340,145 9,378 2.7

Habersham

15,827 15,362 465 2.9

Hall

75,298 73,230 2,068 2.7

Hancock

3,946 3,655 291 7.4

6,261 347,419
15,754 74,605
3,984

5,447 338,978
15,347 72,880
3,643

814 8,441
407 1,725
341

13.0 2.4 2.6 2.3 8.6

5,812 5,469 341,464 333,256
15,695 15,164 73,724 72,063
4,028 3,617

343 8,208
531 1,661
411

5.9 2.4 3.4 2.3 10.2

Haralson Harris Hart Heard Henry

10,115 9,646 469 4.6 12,069 11,750 319 2.6 10,066 9,588 478 4.7
4,743 4,464 279 5.9 64,309 63,032 1,277 2.0

9,994 9,591

403 4.0

12,038 11,731

307 2.6

10,006 9,562

444 4.4

4,667 4,450

217 4.6

63,945 62,815 1,130 1.8

10,017 9,469

548 5.5

12,056 11,656

400 3.3

9,825 9,425

400 4.1

4,951 4,654

297 6.0

63,116 61,755 1,361 2.2

Houston Irwin Jackson Jasper Jeff Davis

51,525 50,220 1,305 2.5 4,954 4,741 213 4.3
23,490 22,661 829 3.5 4,896 4,705 191 3.9 5,223 4,925 298 5.7

51,115 49,891 1,224 2.4

4,988 4,754

234 4.7

23,299 22,588

711 3.1

4,882 4,696

186 3.8

5,245 4,937

308 5.9

51,666 50,028 1,638 3.2

4,962 4,688

274 5.5

22,726 22,084

642 2.8

4,788 4,602

186 3.9

5,208 4,897

311 6.0

15

Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

County
Jefferson Jenkins Johnson Jones Lamar

Preliminary February 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,280 6,699 581 8.0 4,585 4,341 244 5.3 3,621 3,405 216 6.0 11,969 11,626 343 2.9 6,555 6,296 259 4.0

Revised January 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,319 4,557 3,624 11,891 6,580

6,708 4,390 3,399 11,550 6,283

611 8.3 167 3.7 225 6.2 341 2.9 297 4.5

Lanier Laurens Lee Liberty Lincoln

3,579 3,471 108 3.0 22,141 21,320 821 3.7 11,909 11,434 475 4.0 18,098 17,200 898 5.0
3,022 2,833 189 6.3

3,585 22,032 11,821 17,926
3,160

3,457 21,210 11,446 17,037
2,823

128 3.6 822 3.7 375 3.2 889 5.0 337 10.7

Long Lowndes Lumpkin McDuffie McIntosh

3,897 3,794 103 2.6 43,559 41,956 1,603 3.7 11,303 11,084 219 1.9
9,744 9,171 573 5.9 4,582 4,355 227 5.0

3,867 43,476 11,247
9,898 4,555

3,758 41,796 11,067
9,149 4,340

109 2.8 1,680 3.9
180 1.6 749 7.6 215 4.7

Macon

5,524 5,153 371 6.7

Madison

13,716 13,338 378 2.8

Marion

3,439 3,310 129 3.8

Meriwether

9,387 8,838 549 5.8

Miller

3,089 2,954 135 4.4

5,599 13,451
3,452 9,317 3,112

5,236 13,105
3,316 8,805 3,007

363 6.5 346 2.6 136 3.9 512 5.5 105 3.4

Mitchell

11,931 11,372 559 4.7

Monroe

8,663 8,348 315 3.6

Montgomery 3,749 3,487 262 7.0

Morgan

7,380 7,112 268 3.6

Murray

20,189 19,548 641 3.2

12,050 8,615 3,788 7,360
20,191

11,482 8,305 3,486 7,151 19,404

568 4.7 310 3.6 302 8.0 209 2.8 787 3.9

Muscogee

85,043 81,724 3,319 3.9

Newton

31,091 30,042 1,049 3.4

Oconee

13,628 13,412 216 1.6

Oglethorpe

6,241 6,074 167 2.7

Paulding

43,833 42,893 940 2.1

84,807 30,824 13,359
6,223 43,555

81,589 29,939 13,177
6,066 42,745

3,218 3.8 885 2.9 182 1.4 157 2.5 810 1.9

Peach Pickens Pierce Pike Polk

11,053 10,677 376 3.4 11,361 11,035 326 2.9
7,594 7,315 279 3.7 6,598 6,373 225 3.4 17,544 16,700 844 4.8

11,004 11,289
7,696 6,581 17,398

10,607 10,998
7,361 6,354 16,594

397 3.6 291 2.6 335 4.4 227 3.4 804 4.6

Pulaski Putnam Quitman Rabun Randolph

4,527 9,630 1,585 7,530 3,541

4,383 9,300 1,471 7,333 3,089

144 3.2 330 3.4 114 7.2 197 2.6 452 12.8

4,562 9,550 1,544 7,416 3,352

4,419 9,294 1,470 7,271 3,108

143 3.1 256 2.7
74 4.8 145 2.0 244 7.3

16

Revised February 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,211 4,628 3,573 12,000 6,793

6,529 4,431 3,336 11,582 6,331

682 9.5 197 4.3 237 6.6 418 3.5 462 6.8

3,569 22,448 11,925 17,652
3,032

3,379 20,955 11,334 16,675
2,712

190 1,493
591 977 320

5.3 6.7 5.0 5.5 10.6

3,774 43,426 11,056
9,548 4,515

3,678 40,841 10,811
9,023 4,312

96 2.5 2,585 6.0
245 2.2 525 5.5 203 4.5

5,770 13,393
3,485 9,435 3,145

5,153 13,023
3,299 8,778 2,948

617 10.7 370 2.8 186 5.3 657 7.0 197 6.3

12,243 8,480 3,820 7,333
19,815

11,444 8,058 3,420 7,096 19,201

799 6.5 422 5.0 400 10.5 237 3.2 614 3.1

86,002 30,547 13,310
6,190 43,004

81,067 29,433 13,095
6,033 42,024

4,935 5.7 1,114 3.6
215 1.6 157 2.5 980 2.3

11,110 11,110 7,570 6,443 17,090

10,637 10,812
7,239 6,149 16,325

473 4.3 298 2.7 331 4.4 294 4.6 765 4.5

4,558 9,482 1,456 7,271 3,290

4,347 9,157 1,390 7,063 3,087

211 4.6 325 3.4
66 4.5 208 2.9 203 6.2

Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

County
Richmond Rockdale Schley Screven Seminole
Spalding Stephens Stewart Sumter Talbot
Taliaferro Tattnall Taylor Telfair Terrell
Thomas Tift Toombs Towns Treutlen
Troup Turner Twiggs Union Upson
Walker Walton Ware Warren Washington
Wayne Webster Wheeler White Whitfield
Wilcox Wilkes Wilkinson Worth

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

Preliminary February 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number

Rate

79,885 75,944 3,941 4.9

40,279 39,223 1,056 2.6

1,826 1,764

62 3.4

6,052 5,608 444 7.3

4,771 4,550 221 4.6

29,950 28,732 1,218 4.1 11,990 11,411 579 4.8
2,457 2,294 163 6.6 15,256 14,547 709 4.6
3,015 2,859 156 5.2

838

802

36 4.3

7,259 6,783 476 6.6

3,703 3,589 114 3.1

4,799 4,519 280 5.8

4,051 3,783 268 6.6

21,578 20,693 885 4.1 20,639 19,760 879 4.3 12,351 11,453 898 7.3
4,332 4,214 118 2.7 2,698 2,572 126 4.7

31,030 29,903 1,127 3.6 4,085 3,817 268 6.6 4,218 3,998 220 5.2 7,741 7,537 204 2.6
12,271 11,795 476 3.9

31,816 30,682 1,134 3.6 30,809 29,675 1,134 3.7 16,110 15,381 729 4.5
2,758 2,494 264 9.6 9,847 9,356 491 5.0

11,692 11,133 559 4.8

1,120 1,088

32 2.9

1,993 1,889 104 5.2

9,189 8,910 279 3.0

48,164 46,762 1,402 2.9

3,286 3,141 145 4.4 5,454 5,167 287 5.3 4,651 4,480 171 3.7 9,309 8,763 546 5.9

Revised January 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

79,286 75,765 3,521 4.4

40,086 39,089

997 2.5

1,851 1,766

85 4.6

5,965 5,639

326 5.5

4,808 4,626

182 3.8

Revised February 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

79,611 74,723 4,888 6.1

39,540 38,429 1,111 2.8

1,870 1,790

80 4.3

6,021 5,579

442 7.3

4,697 4,466

231 4.9

29,886 28,633 1,253 4.2

11,884 11,322

562 4.7

2,508 2,299

209 8.3

15,385 14,530

855 5.6

3,006 2,857

149 5.0

29,632 28,150 1,482 5.0

11,713 11,202

511 4.4

2,445 2,331

114 4.7

15,100 14,286

814 5.4

2,994 2,797

197 6.6

914 7,402 3,762 4,847 4,108

807 6,933 3,607 4,543 3,833

107 11.7 469 6.3 155 4.1 304 6.3 275 6.7

791 7,610 3,738 5,080 4,104

771 7,102 3,535 4,562 3,784

20 2.5 508 6.7 203 5.4 518 10.2 320 7.8

21,505 20,728 12,414
4,350 2,738

20,666 19,834 11,452
4,185 2,572

839 3.9 894 4.3 962 7.7 165 3.8 166 6.1

21,491 20,553 12,590
4,356 2,811

20,475 19,551 11,234
4,125 2,523

1,016 1,002 1,356
231 288

4.7 4.9 10.8 5.3 10.2

30,700 29,614 1,086 3.5

4,274 3,879

395 9.2

4,171 3,972

199 4.8

7,820 7,552

268 3.4

12,249 11,695

554 4.5

30,646 29,170 1,476 4.8

4,103 3,752

351 8.6

4,234 3,983

251 5.9

7,699 7,402

297 3.9

12,561 11,665

896 7.1

31,382 30,599 16,173
2,779 9,812

30,370 29,573 15,277
2,492 9,325

1,012 1,026
896 287 487

3.2 3.4 5.5 10.3 5.0

31,389 30,325 1,064 3.4

30,152 29,074 1,078 3.6

15,664 14,967

697 4.4

2,593 2,430

163 6.3

9,994 9,426

568 5.7

11,647 11,065

582 5.0

1,158 1,104

54 4.7

2,055 1,898

157 7.6

9,204 8,878

326 3.5

47,972 46,317 1,655 3.4

11,664 10,982

682 5.8

1,151 1,108

43 3.7

2,102 1,906

196 9.3

9,207 8,762

445 4.8

47,044 45,871 1,173 2.5

3,310 5,434 4,606 9,412

3,166 5,184 4,445 8,877

144 4.4 250 4.6 161 3.5 535 5.7

3,252 5,438 4,629 9,314

3,095 5,170 4,369 8,695

157 4.8 268 4.9 260 5.6 619 6.6

17

New Developments

Clark Atlanta University recently celebrated
Founder's Day with a groundbreaking of its new residential complex in Atlanta. The $21 million, state-of-the-art Westside Courts facility will be located on a 3.9-acre parcel at Martin Luther King Jr. and James P. Brawley drives and will house graduate students. The new facility, which will include covered parking, a fitness center, club room, and a computer center, is scheduled to be completed in 2002 in Fulton County.
Cessna Aircraft Company recently announced
another expansion project at its production facility in Columbus . The company chose Columbus for two reasons, infrastructure and a reliable workforce in the area. Wichita, Kansas-based Cessna produces general aviation aircraft for private and business use. Cessna's $5.8 million expansion will add a 112,400-square-foot facility next to its current plant. Last year the company spent $3.6 million to purchase and equip an existing building near the main plant on Cargo Drive. Cessna has more than 12,000 employees worldwide and currently employs more than 450 people at its plant in Columbus. During the next two years the company expects to hire an additional 300 people in Muscogee County.
Kinro Inc. has purchased the 100,000-square-foot
Ithaca distribution building in Cairo to accommodate its move from Thomasville. Kinro manufactures windows and glass doors primarily for manufactured housing and recreational vehicles. The company plans to begin renovations of the facility over the next few months and will begin manufacturing activity by early summer. Kinro currently has about 92 employees in Thomasville who will continue to work in Cairo and plans are underway to expand to about 160 when the facility is completed in Grady County.
Add Spirit Inc. recently signed a two-year agree-
ment to lease the long-vacant White Stag building for its garment fulfillment plant in Sylvania. The company does work for its customers who don't

have time to wait for overseas shipments. The garment fulfillment facility will include a full line of garment production services including fabric cutting, sewing, embellishment, screen-printing and packaging. It will also fix mistakes in garments shipped from overseas. Based in Twin City, Georgia, the company started with 20 employees in that city attracting work from companies like Wal-Mart and Gerber and now employs about 180 people. Add Spirit has already hired about 20 people and expects to have an additional 50 employees by the end of next year in Screven County.
Zcorum Inc. is expanding and will establish its
latest technical support center next to East Georgia College in Swainsboro. Based in Alpharetta, Georgia, Zcorum, formerly known as ISP Internet Alliance, provides Internet services to national customers and specializes in operating Web sites for small and mid-sized utilities and municipalities. Employees at the new $3 million facility will handle 24-hour customer service inquiries in addition to data and network management for the company's mostly institutional customer base. The 25,000-square-foot facility will be developed on a 100-acre tract which state and local officials are billing as rural Georgia's first technology park and will create about 150 new jobs in Emanuel County.
Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Company re-
cently began construction of its 160,000-squarefoot logistics and distribution center in Newnan. The facility will operate as a separate unit and provide parts and materials for the Newnan golf cart, ATV and jet ski manufacturer. Located on its Georgia Highway 34 complex, the distribution center is scheduled to be open by June 2001 and operations will begin by August. This is the second major Newnan expansion project for the company, which has a 200,000-square-foot, $36 million manufacturing facility currently under construction. That facility is expected to be completed by 2002 and bring between 300 and 400 new jobs to Coweta County.

18

Georgia Unemployment Rates by County

February 2001

Dade Catoosa

Fannin

Towns

Union

Rabun

Whitfield

Walker

Murray Gilmer

Chattooga

Gordon

Pickens

Floyd

Bartow Cherokee

White Lumpkin
Dawson Hall
Forsyth

Habersham
Stephens
Banks Franklin

Jackson Madison

Hart Elbert

10% or greater 3.4% to 9.9% Less than 3.4%

Polk Haralson

Cobb Paulding
Douglas

Gwinnett Barrow Clarke

Oconee Oglethorpe

DeKalb

Walton

Rock-

Wilkes

Lincoln

Carroll

Fulton Clayton

dale Newton

Morgan Greene Taliaferro

Columbia

Heard

Fayette

Henry

Coweta

Spalding Butts Jasper

Putnam

Hancock

McDuffie Warren
Glascock

Richmond

Troup

Meriwether

Pike

Lamar Monroe

Jones Baldwin

Jefferson Washington

Burke

Harris

Upson Bibb

Talbot

Crawford

Wilkinson Twiggs

Johnson

Jenkins Emanuel

Screven

Muscogee

Taylor

Peach

Marion Chattahoo-

Houston Bleckley Macon

Laurens Treutlen

Candler Bulloch Effingham

chee

Schley Stewart Webster Sumter

Dooly

Pulaski Dodge Wilcox

Montgomery Wheeler Toombs

Evans

Tattnall

Bryan Chatham

Crisp

Telfair

Quitman Randolph Terrell Lee

Turner

Ben Hill

Jeff Davis Appling

Liberty Long

Clay Calhoun Dougherty

Early Miller

Baker Mitchell

Worth Colquitt

Irwin Tift

Coffee

Berrien Atkinson

Cook

Lanier

Seminole Decatur

Grady Thomas Brooks

Lowndes

Clinch

Echols

Bacon

Wayne

Pierce

Ware

Brantley

McIntosh Glynn

Charlton

Camden

Georgia's Unemployment Rate: 3.4%
19

Dimensions - Measuring Georgia's Workforceforce

Georgia Unemployment Insurance Claims by County

County

Average Initial Weekly Average Claims Benefit Duration

County

Average Initial Weekly Average Claims Benefit Duration

County

Average Initial Weekly Average Claims Benefit Duration

Appling Atkinson Bacon Baker Baldwin Banks Barrow Bartow Ben Hill Berrien Bibb Bleckley Brantley Brooks Bryan Bulloch Burke Butts Calhoun Camden Candler Carroll Catoosa Charlton Chatham Chattahoochee Chattooga Cherokee Clarke Clay Clayton Clinch Cobb Coffee Colquitt Columbia Cook Coweta Crawford Crisp Dade Dawson Decatur DeKalb Dodge Dooly Dougherty Douglas Early Echols Effingham Elbert Emanuel

227 ...... $200 ...... 7.8 130 ...... $172 ...... 6.8
94 ...... $179 ...... 7.1 21 ...... $193 ...... 8.1 269 ...... $160 ...... 9.9 95 ...... $192 ...... 5.7 334 ...... $205 ...... 7.7 768 ...... $217 ...... 6.8 212 ...... $136 ...... 8.8 98 ...... $169 ...... 6.0 585 ...... $167 ...... 8.6 61 ...... $170 ...... 7.6 67 ...... $192 .... 10.9 65 ...... $181 ...... 9.9 36 ...... $186 ...... 8.5 136 ...... $166 .... 11.0 130 ...... $166 ...... 6.9 169 ...... $193 .... 10.6 51 ...... $161 .... 10.0 58 ...... $186 ...... 9.4 33 ...... $168 .... 10.5 897 ...... $190 ...... 8.8 267 ...... $207 ...... 5.8 15 ...... $159 ...... 7.8 490 ...... $175 .... 10.6 15 ...... $154 .... 11.6 503 ...... $202 ...... 6.1 647 ...... $226 ...... 8.2 526 ...... $188 ...... 8.2 37 ...... $161 ...... 8.0 941 ...... $213 .... 10.5 42 ...... $201 .... 11.7 1587 ...... $228 .... 11.6 469 ...... $178 ...... 6.6 241 ...... $169 ...... 9.4 148 ...... $184 ...... 9.6 100 ...... $164 ...... 7.7 467 ...... $201 ...... 9.3 47 ...... $197 ...... 7.6 270 ...... $158 ...... 8.1 75 ...... $196 ...... 3.8 71 ...... $218 ...... 7.2 129 ...... $167 ...... 7.0 3092 ...... $220 .... 10.7 59 ...... $164 ...... 9.4 112 ...... $148 ...... 9.0 580 ...... $168 .... 11.1 292 ...... $218 .... 10.8 56 ...... $168 ...... 8.5 11 ...... $187 ...... 5.9 72 ...... $214 ...... 8.5 205 ...... $173 ...... 7.5 68 ...... $162 ...... 9.4

Evans Fannin Fayette Floyd Forsyth Franklin Fulton Gilmer Glascock Glynn Gordon Grady Greene Gwinnett Habersham Hall Hancock Haralson Harris Hart Heard Henry Houston Irwin Jackson Jasper Jeff Davis Jefferson Jenkins Johnson Jones Lamar Lanier Laurens Lee Liberty Lincoln Long Lowndes Lumpkin McDuffie McIntosh Macon Madison Marion Meriwether Miller Mitchell Monroe Morgan Montgomery Murray Muscogee

51 ...... $165 ...... 9.7 251 ...... $186 ...... 5.4 197 ...... $227 .... 10.4 1091 ...... $200 ...... 6.2 247 ...... $239 ...... 8.7 278 ...... $200 ...... 6.3 2860 ...... $208 .... 11.3 210 ...... $198 ...... 5.2
9 ...... $171 ...... 6.3 196 ...... $187 .... 11.4 760 ...... $214 ...... 5.4 180 ...... $166 ...... 7.2 182 ...... $164 ...... 6.7 2289 ...... $230 .... 10.2 370 ...... $175 ...... 5.5 1012 ...... $213 ...... 5.3
96 ...... $149 ...... 8.6 152 ...... $199 ...... 9.2
99 ...... $189 ...... 8.3 299 ...... $186 ...... 5.3 157 ...... $183 ...... 7.1 290 .......$211 .... 10.3 185 ...... $184 ...... 8.9
62 ...... $146 ...... 7.0 245 ...... $204 ...... 6.6
67 ...... $190 ...... 7.4 365 ...... $191 ...... 5.1 128 ...... $157 ...... 9.7 110 ...... $149 ...... 8.8
45 ...... $173 ...... 9.2 77 ...... $182 ...... 7.3 124 ...... $189 ...... 7.8 67 ...... $168 .... 10.0 225 ...... $151 ...... 7.4 119 ...... $210 ...... 8.6 106 ...... $167 .... 11.4 68 ...... $168 ...... 6.2 19 ...... $161 .... 12.0 439 ...... $170 .... 11.2 137 ...... $216 ...... 4.0 270 ...... $177 ...... 6.6 39 ...... $185 .... 12.9 339 ...... $180 ...... 8.2 151 ...... $198 ...... 7.6 56 ...... $180 ...... 6.9 297 ...... $171 ...... 8.6 33 ...... $182 ...... 5.8 115 ...... $171 .... 11.6 121 ...... $193 ...... 7.9 67 ...... $181 .... 10.3 127 ...... $192 ...... 9.0 508 ...... $207 ...... 4.8 741 ...... $176 ...... 9.8

Newton Oconee Oglethorpe Paulding Peach Pickens Pierce Pike Polk Pulaski Putnam Quitman Rabun Randolph Richmond Rockdale Schley Screven Seminole Spalding Stephens Stewart Sumter Talbot Taliaferro Tattnall Taylor Telfair Terrell Thomas Tift Toombs Towns Treutlen Troup Turner Twiggs Union Upson Walker Walton Ware Warren Washington Wayne Webster Wheeler White Whitfield Wilcox Wilkes Wilkinson Worth

383 ...... $195 ...... 8.6 98 .......$211 ...... 8.7 65 ...... $189 ...... 6.4
254 ...... $219 .... 10.1 79 ...... $173 ...... 7.9 83 ...... $207 ...... 6.8 94 ...... $159 ...... 8.1 97 ...... $188 ...... 8.0
569 ...... $206 ...... 5.6 53 ...... $147 ...... 9.2
222 ...... $157 ...... 6.9 0 ...... $153 .... 16.5
671 ...... $193 ...... 4.4 281 ...... $175 ...... 7.8 734 ...... $172 ...... 9.8 214 ...... $215 .... 10.6
15 ...... $154 ...... 9.6 168 ...... $178 ...... 8.6
47 ...... $157 ...... 9.1 566 ...... $189 ...... 8.4 431 ...... $189 ...... 5.6
82 ...... $196 ...... 9.2 271 ...... $151 ...... 8.0
62 ...... $178 .... 10.4 23 ...... $158 ...... 7.1 146 ...... $154 .... 14.2 71 ...... $146 ...... 7.5 103 ...... $173 ...... 8.4 141 ...... $182 ...... 8.6 187 ...... $169 .... 10.1 255 ...... $155 ...... 8.4 154 ...... $177 .... 11.7 62 ...... $157 ...... 8.0 32 ...... $166 .... 10.6 665 ...... $181 ...... 7.0 169 ...... $129 ...... 8.7 39 ...... $159 ...... 8.4 97 ...... $158 ...... 8.0 567 ...... $187 ...... 5.9 459 ...... $195 ...... 5.2 286 ...... $201 ...... 8.4 359 ...... $150 ...... 8.8 87 ...... $171 ...... 6.3 107 ...... $132 .... 10.1 179 ...... $185 ...... 9.2 24 ...... $210 ...... 6.8 60 ...... $175 ...... 8.1 112 ...... $189 ...... 7.2 1099 ...... $198 ...... 5.3 42 ...... $168 ...... 7.2 247 ...... $152 ...... 7.0 65 ...... $187 ...... 8.6 115 ...... $164 ...... 8.6

Initial claims include intrastate initial and additional claims, as well as agent state initial and additional claims for regular UI only. Average duration of benefits is represented in weeks.
20

Unemployment Insurance Statistics

Weeks 10.0

Average duration of benefits
Last 12 months

9.5 9.4 9.4 9.4 9.3 9.2 9.1 9.1 9.0

9.0

8.8

8.7

8.5

8.5

8.4

8.0

7.5

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

00

01

Unemployment insurance initial claims

Thousands 90

2000 -- 2001

80

2001

2000

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

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

Over-the-year initial claims totals up for tenth consecutive month...

Unemployment insurance initial claims for the month of February indicate that the slowdown in Georgia's economy continues. New claims for February 2001 totaled 45,681, an increase of 65.5 percent from February 2000. Weekly initial claims totals reveal a continued trend towards higher-thannormal levels. For each of the four weeks in the month of February (February 3 through February 24), unemployment insurance initial claims surged upward when compared to the same week one year ago, with upturns of 78.6 percent, 51.6 percent, 89.5 percent and 140.4 percent, respectively.
Just as January 2001's initial claims total of 83,100 represented the highest total of new claims filed during the month of January since 1991, February's total of 45,681 continues the trend as the highest total of new claims filed in the month of February since 1991, when initial claims totaled 55,240. In drawing comparisons between 1991 and 2001, it is worth noting that February 2001's new claims total represents a 17.3 percent drop in initial claims filings when compared to February 1991. Furthermore, it is also important to realize that, as of second quarter 2000, Georgia's total covered employment of 3,828,274 has grown 37.5 percent from 1991's annual covered employment figure.

The total number of beneficiaries, 65,122 during February, rose 49.5 percent over the year. February's total for separated workers receiving benefits represents the largest monthly figure in over five years (excluding the month of January when layoffs of seasonal workers cause sharp increases in claims activity). In July 1995, beneficiaries totaled 67,577. The average weekly benefit amount experienced its largest over-the-month increase in two years, rising $12.44 to February's benefit amount of $216.29. During February 1999 the average weekly benefit amount experienced an overthe-month surge of $12.87. The average weekly benefit amount increased $10.96 from February 2000, a climb of 5.3 percent.
The number of first payments, 19,060 in February, increased 37.5 percent from last year's total of 13,859. Final payments (benefit exhaustions) were down 3.2 percent over the year, totaling 3,674 in February. The average duration of benefits (calculated by implementing 12 month running totals of weeks paid divided by first payments) was at 8.4 weeks for the month, a drop of 11.6 percent over the year.

Benefits paid totaled $37,574,289 during February, an advance of 33.6 percent from one year ago. In the manufacturing industry, $7,922,830 was paid out to separated workers, the largest amount for a major industry division during
the month. In particular, textiles manufacturing accounted for over one-fourth (27.3%) of all benefits paid in manufacturing. Benefit payouts in the manufacturing industry have increased 90.3 percent over the year. The total number of weeks paid, 173,725 in February, climbed 26.8 percent from
last year. Again, manufacturing, led by textiles, represented the highest total of weeks paid for a major industry division. Weeks paid in manufacturing totaled 33,587 during February, with textiles accounting for 27.0 percent of that figure. Over the year, the total number of weeks paid in
manufacturing jumped 72.5 percent.

Key Trends

Feb 2001

Feb 2000

Initial claims filed .............................. 45,681 ................... 27,595

Persons receiving benefits ............... 65,122 ................... 43,554

Average weekly benefit amount ....... $216.29 ................. $205.33

Benefits paid ........................... $37,574,289 .......... $28,130,309 Employer taxes received* ....... $17,135,221 .......... $17,808,485 Trust fund balance ..............$1,847,017,803 ...... $1,932,455,288

*Minus refunds to employers

21

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