Dimensions: measuring Georgia's workforce, Vol. 27, no. 4 (Apr. 2001)

April 2001 Data
Highlights
Does Georgia's labor market rank among the Top Ten in the nation?... page 2
Find out how Georgia's labor market has faired relative to other states over the past year and which state is ranked #1 for overall labor market hardiness.
.or first time this year, unemployment rate declines ........ page 10
On the heels of three consecutive months of steady rising unemployment rates, Georgia's rate dropped two-tenths percentage point to 3.5 percent in April.
Following last month's second place standing, Georgia rallied back to the top spot in the Southeast.
Spotlight: Service Delivery Region .our ........................Page 12
"Service Delivery Region Four....economic stablility in the face of adversity"
New Developments .................Page 18
Initial claims up 103.4 percent over the year ....................... page 21
April sees sharp increases in initial claims, continued claims and first payments.
WI&A Customer Satisfaction Team ................... page 23

Volume XXVII, Number 4
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 Workforce.Info@dol.state.ga.us
Equal Opportunity Employer/Program Auxiliary Aids and Services Available upon
Request to Individuals with Disabilities

Dimensions - Measuring Georgias Workforce

State Labor Markets: Mirror, mirror on the wall... which is the fairest of them all?

In this time of economic turbulence, you may wonder how Georgia's labor market is fairing relative to other states. The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides monthly rankings by state for employment growth in each industry. The rankings are done with over-the-month as well as over-the-year growth rates. Because the April data were not yet in for all states, the foregoing analysis examines over-the-year percent growth rankings from March 2000 to March 2001 for each major industry division.
Georgia ranked among the top 25 states for over-the-year growth in five of the seven major industry divisions. The state's top rankings were government (4th place), trade (12th place), transportation, communications and public utilities (12th place), services (19th place), and finance, insurance and real estate (22nd place). Georgia ranked among the bottom 25 states for over-the-year growth in construction (31st place) and manufacturing (40th place).
Considering all the industries combined, Nevada's labor market is the fairest of them all, garnering 1st place for growth in trade, TCPU, FIRE and manufacturing. The "Top Ten" state labor markets according to over-the-year job growth in each industry are Nevada, followed by California, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Virginia, Colorado and Utah. Georgia narrowly missed inclusion in the Top Ten, ranking 11th in overall labor market hardiness. The five most anemic state labor markets were 50th ranked Mississippi, followed by Indiana, Alabama, West Virginia and South Dakota.
Employment Analysis
Georgia's nonfarm employment growth continued to lose momentum again in April as payroll employment crept up 6,800 over the month, following a revised gain of 20,800 jobs in March. April job losses were once again concentrated in personnel supply services and manufacturing, yet there were also considerable losses in transportation. Moreover, in April there was very little job growth in other areas of the labor market to offset the continued sluggishness in these sectors.
2

Who's the fairest of them all?
State rankings on labor market hardiness index March 2000 -- March 2001

Rank

State

1

Nevada

2

California

3

Florida

4

Texas

5

Arizona

6

Hawaii

7

Massachusetts

8

Virginia

9

Colorado

10

Utah

11

Georgia

12

Kansas

13

Washington

Rank

State

14

Maine

15 North Carolina

16

Delaware

17

Idaho

18

New Jersey

19

New York

20

Louisiana

21

Maryland

22

Oklahoma

23

Alaska

24 South Carolina

25 Pennsylvania

26

New Mexico

Rank

State

27

Wyoming

28

Montana

29 Rhode Island

30

Minnesota

31

Illinois

32 New Hampshire

33

Wisconsin

34

Arkansas

35

Connecticut

36

Oregon

37

Michigan

38

Iowa

39

Tennessee

Rank

State

40

Missouri

41

Nebraska

42

Kentucky

43

Ohio

44

Vermont

45 North Dakota

46 South Dakota

47 West Virginia

48

Alabama

49

Indiana

50

Mississippi

Construction hiring in April fell well short of seasonal expectations at both the state and national levels. Indeed, since 1995, Georgia has added an average of just over 3,000 jobs every April, yet this month, employment in the construction industry fell slightly. A gain of 500 jobs in general building contractors was offset by a loss of 700 jobs in special trades. Heavy construction employment was little changed. The top five growth states for construction are Massachusetts, California, Illinois, Oregon and Washington.
While mining employment in the state has trended gradually downward since its' nineyear peak in 1999, the national trend in mining employment has been quite the opposite so far this calendar year. Mining employment in the nation increased by 4,000 in April and has grown by 17,000 thus far in 2001. According to the monthly news release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, all of the net growth since January 2001 has been in oil and gas extraction.
The manufacturing division only lost a net 500 jobs over the month, compared to last month's revised loss of 2,800. The small dip in manufacturing employment in April reflects an unusual combination of ups and downs resembling the children's game of chutes and ladders. The steepest employment slippage took place in fabricated metals (-600), industrial machinery (-400), electrical equipment (-200) and apparel (-200). As these industries continued to slide at both the state and national level, other sectors picked up workers over the month. Industries on the climb in Georgia included lumber and wood products (+600) and primary metal industries (+200). All other manufacturing industries were essentially unchanged over the month. Mississippi has suffered the largest contraction in manufacturing over the year at -6.8 percent, yet New York has lost the most manufacturing jobs over the year with a net loss of 26,700. The top five growth states for manufacturing are Nevada, Vermont, New Mexico, North Dakota and Arizona.
During the first four months of 2001, Georgia's manufacturing workweek was consistently shorter than in the same period a year ago and average weekly earnings have also lagged behind. April has been particularly unkind with the average weekly earnings of manufacturing production workers falling from $540.80 in 2000 to $501.68 in 2001, a 7.8 percent drop. Similarly, the workweek fell from 41.6 hours in April 2000 to 38.8 hours this month, constituting a 7.2 percent reduction in hours.

Dimensions - Measuring Georgias Workforce

Shortened workweeks and smaller earnings

Avg. weekly hours 42.5

compared to 2000

Avg. weekly earnings 550

41.5 40.5 39.5 38.5 37.5 36.5
Jan

540

530

520

510

500

AWH 2000 AWE 2001

AWH 2001 AWE 2000

490

480

Feb

Mar

Apr

Transportation, communications and public utilities lost 1,100 workers over the month. The slump in this division is attributable primarily to weakness in trucking and warehousing (-1,200) and smaller losses in air transportation (-300) and communications (-300). Electric, gas and sanitary services added 200 jobs over the month as did local and inter-urban transportation. The top five growth states for this division are Nevada, Kansas, Virginia, Texas and California.

The trade division added 2,400 jobs due almost entirely to growth in wholesale trade (+2,000). Significant gains occurred in the retail sector in eating and drinking places (+4,300) and automotive dealers (+1,000), however these were offset by considerable losses in food stores (-1,900), general merchandise stores (-1,500) and miscellaneous retail establishments (-1,500). The top five growth states for employment in trade are Nevada, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho and Wyoming.

Finance, insurance and real estate employment increased 1,200 jobs over the month, with all component sectors enjoying modest gains. However, the division has not grown substantially over the year, and has added only 600 jobs over the year for a growth rate of only 0.3 percent. The top five growth states for this division are Nevada, Kansas, Utah, Montana and Wisconsin.

Services added 3,100 jobs in April, slightly fewer than were gained the previous month. Employment in help supply services fell markedly for the sixth month in a row, with a decline of 1,000 this month and 18,300 since its October peak. This slump is consistent with national trends whereby the help supply industry has lost 370,000 jobs since

Seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment in GA and the US

(in thousands)

4060

132400

4040 4020 4000 3980 3960 3940

GA

US

132200 132000 131800 131600 131400 131200 131000

3920

130800

A M J JA SO NDJ F MA

September 2000, a drop of 11 percent. Some of the recent declines are undoubtedly related to the ongoing retrenchment in manufacturing, but it seems likely that other industries also are experiencing a reduced need for temporary workers. Other losses occurred in hospitals (-500), social services (-300), computer and data processing (-300), and engineering and management (-200). Elsewhere in services, job growth was for the most part sluggish in April. Hiring in amusement and recreation services fell short of seasonal expectations for the month, adding only 400 workers, compared to nearly a thousand the previous year. The only exceptions to the overall pattern of weakness were educational services (+800), personal services (+800) and hotels or other lodging places (+700). The top five growth states in services are Florida, Colorado, Maine, Texas and Utah.
Finally, government employment mimicked national growth trends picking up 1,800 workers over the month, primarily in federal government (+1,200) and state educational institutions (+600). The top five government growth states are Colorado, North Carolina, Nevada, Georgia and Mississippi.
In summary, the April employment report reflects halting job growth that is no longer concentrated in manufacturing, but rather spreads across industry divisions. This halting job growth in April occurred as the nation's businesses cut their payrolls by 223,000 over the month, the largest seasonally adjusted reduction since February 1991. It marks the second month in a row that the nation's nonfarm employment has suffered a contraction. Yet while national payrolls have contracted, Georgia's nonfarm employment has remained stable, even after seasonal adjustment. We may not lead the nation in growth at this time, but perhaps we will succeed in staving off any major damage during the current slowdown.
Produced by the Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis, in cooperation with the U.S. Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
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 APR 2001 MAR 2001 APR 2000

Change in Jobs from MAR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from APR 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

4,043.3 789.6 7.8 207.6 47.2 28.4 132.0 574.2 252.4 40.4 12.2 21.6 13.5 24.3 40.9 33.9 47.5 18.1 321.8 71.2 39.2 98.9 44.2 23.4 30.3 43.9 16.5 22.6 31.5
3,253.7 271.8 162.0 85.5 24.3 994.2 265.5 728.7 93.5 103.1 265.1 207.0 92.4 72.9 41.7
1,158.6 47.3
320.9 128.8
78.2 36.0 255.9 105.9 65.3 55.2 93.3 284.7 622.1 94.9 27.7 160.1 74.4 367.1 225.6

4,036.5 790.2 7.8 207.7 46.7 28.3 132.7 574.7 252.7 39.8 12.2 21.5 13.3 24.9 41.3 34.1 47.4 18.2 322.0 71.1 39.1 98.8 44.2 23.6 30.4 43.9 16.4 22.6 31.6
3,246.3 272.9 163.0 85.8 24.1 991.8 263.5 728.3 95.0 105.0 260.8 205.8 91.6 72.8 41.4
1,155.5 46.6
322.4 129.8
78.5 35.6 255.8 106.4 64.5 55.5 93.5 281.6 620.3 93.7 27.7 159.4 73.8 367.2 226.2

3,961.5 799.3 7.7 202.9 46.4 28.2 128.3 588.7 257.7 43.0 12.1 21.3 13.9 25.4 41.2 33.8 49.2 17.8 331.0 72.7 39.3 102.5 45.0 24.5 31.1 44.6 16.6 22.5 33.1
3,162.2 265.0 161.3 79.6 24.1 975.5 260.2 715.3 89.4 106.4 257.6 206.4 94.7 70.7 41.0
1,113.9 48.0
327.0 136.7
77.2 33.5 248.5 103.5 55.8 55.4 89.9 255.8 601.4 99.9 27.8 149.8 64.5 351.7 216.4

+6.8 -.6 +.0 -.1 +.5 +.1 -.7 -.5 -.3 +.6 +.0 +.1 +.2 -.6 -.4 -.2 +.1 -.1 -.2 +.1 +.1 +.1 +.0 -.2 -.1 +.0 +.1 +.0 -.1
+7.4 -1.1 -1.0
-.3 +.2 +2.4 +2.0 +.4 -1.5 -1.9 +4.3 +1.2 +.8 +.1 +.3 +3.1 +.7 -1.5 -1.0 -.3 +.4 +.1 -.5 +.8 -.3 -.2 +3.1 +1.8 +1.2 +.0 +.7 +.6 -.1 -.6

+0.2 -0.1 +0.0 +0.0 +1.1 +0.4 -0.5 -0.1 -0.1 +1.5 +0.0 +0.5 +1.5 -2.4 -1.0 -0.6 +0.2 -0.5 -0.1 +0.1 +0.3 +0.1 +0.0 -0.8 -0.3 +0.0 +0.6 +0.0 -0.3 +0.2 -0.4 -0.6 -0.3 +0.8 +0.2 +0.8 +0.1 -1.6 -1.8 +1.6 +0.6 +0.9 +0.1 +0.7 +0.3 +1.5 -0.5 -0.8 -0.4 +1.1 +0.0 -0.5 +1.2 -0.5 -0.2 +1.1 +0.3 +1.3 +0.0 +0.4 +0.8 +0.0 -0.3

+81.8 +2.1 -9.7 -1.2 +.1 +1.3 +4.7 +2.3 +.8 +1.7 +.2 +0.7 +3.7 +2.9
-14.5 -2.5 -5.3 -2.1 -2.6 -6.0 +.1 +0.8 +.3 +1.4 -.4 -2.9 -1.1 -4.3 -.3 -0.7 +.1 +0.3 -1.7 -3.5 +.3 +1.7 -9.2 -2.8 -1.5 -2.1 -.1 -0.3 -3.6 -3.5 -.8 -1.8 -1.1 -4.5 -.8 -2.6 -.7 -1.6 -.1 -0.6 +.1 +0.4 -1.6 -4.8
+91.5 +2.9 +6.8 +2.6 +.7 +0.4 +5.9 +7.4 +.2 +0.8
+18.7 +1.9 +5.3 +2.0
+13.4 +1.9 +4.1 +4.6 -3.3 -3.1 +7.5 +2.9 +.6 +0.3 -2.3 -2.4 +2.2 +3.1 +.7 +1.7
+44.7 +4.0 -.7 -1.5
-6.1 -1.9 -7.9 -5.8 +1.0 +1.3 +2.5 +7.5 +7.4 +3.0 +2.4 +2.3 +9.5 +17.0
-.2 -0.4 +3.4 +3.8 +28.9 +11.3 +20.7 +3.4 -5.0 -5.0
-.1 -0.4 +10.3 +6.9
+9.9 +15.3 +15.4 +4.4
+9.2 +4.3

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 benchmark.

Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis

4

Georgia Hours and Earnings (000s)

Average Weekly Earnings
Preliminary Revised Revised APR 2001 MAR 2001 APR 2000

Average Weekly Hours
Preliminary Revised Revised APR 2001 MAR 2001 APR 2000

Average Hourly Earnings
Preliminary Revised Revised APR 2001 MAR 2000 APR 2000

Total manufacturing

$501.68 $521.20 $540.80

38.8

40.0

41.6 $12.93 $13.03 $13.00

Durable goods

$536.84 $550.99 $579.63

39.1

39.3

41.7 $13.73 $14.02 $13.90

Lumber and wood products

$446.99 $444.19 $438.52

38.5

37.9

39.4 $11.61 $11.72 $11.13

Furniture and fixtures

$415.24 $420.67 $376.20

39.1

38.7

38.0 $10.62 $10.87 $9.90

Stone, clay and glass products

$629.50 $634.38 $632.77

44.3

44.3

43.4 $14.21 $14.32 $14.58

Primary metal industries

$574.24 $615.62 $607.31

40.9

42.9

44.2 $14.04 $14.35 $13.74

Fabricated metal products

$506.33 $529.58 $494.91

40.8

42.4

42.3 $12.41 $12.49 $11.70

Industrial machinery

$502.05 $514.08 $524.59

40.1

40.1

41.8 $12.52 $12.82 $12.55

Electric and electronic equipment

$435.34 $425.25 $469.91

36.4

35.0

38.9 $11.96 $12.15 $12.08

Transportation equipment

$791.12 $834.57 $976.03

38.2

39.2

46.7 $20.71 $21.29 $20.90

Other durable goods

$427.04 $434.19 $423.62

34.3

35.1

36.3 $12.45 $12.37 $11.67

Nondurable goods

$473.94 $498.97 $511.26

38.5

40.6

41.6 $12.31 $12.29 $12.29

Food and kindred products

$479.60 $504.57 $506.46

40.0

41.7

42.1 $11.99 $12.10 $12.03

Meat products

$361.37 $371.39 $378.14

37.8

39.3

40.4

$9.56 $9.45 $9.36

Textile mill products

$415.03 $446.04 $476.79

38.5

41.3

42.8 $10.78 $10.80 $11.14

Carpets and rugs

$364.59 $454.83 $493.50

35.5

43.4

43.1 $10.27 $10.48 $11.45

Apparel and other finished textiles

$248.85 $258.93 $294.41

30.2

31.5

35.6

$8.24 $8.22 $8.27

Paper and allied products

$643.40 $663.52 $680.83

39.4

41.6

43.2 $16.33 $15.95 $15.76

Printing and publishing

$561.37 $593.76 $573.65

37.6

39.4

38.5 $14.93 $15.07 $14.90

Commerical printing

$633.95 $651.14 $644.14

40.9

41.5

42.8 $15.50 $15.69 $15.05

Chemicals and allied products

$646.57 $661.09 $694.34

41.5

42.9

43.1 $15.58 $15.41 $16.11

Other nondurable goods

$470.26 $488.03 $480.52

38.8

40.3

41.0 $12.12 $12.11 $11.72

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

41.6

41.7

41.5

41.2 41.1 41.2

41.3 41.1

40.9

41.0

40.7

40.6

40.5 40.0

40.0

39.7

39.5 38.8
39.0

38.5

38.0 Apr May Jun

Jul Aug Sep 2000

Oct Nov Dec Jan

Feb Mar 2001

Apr* 5

Atlanta Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary Revised Revised APR 2001 MAR 2001 APR 2000

Change in Jobs from MAR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from APR 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

2,221.3 338.2 1.9 118.1 26.7 14.0 77.4 218.2 110.9 9.4 9.6 8.2 11.2 16.0 17.0 22.2 17.3 107.3 24.4 9.8 7.4 12.3 28.0 9.9 10.8 14.6
1,883.1 196.7 118.0 78.7 585.7 180.7 126.6 54.1 405.0 47.4 54.8 152.1 49.5 140.5 59.8 51.9 28.8 685.8 27.7 224.3 85.0 64.1 30.9 128.6 56.3 30.7 68.0 175.6 274.4 46.3 55.7 172.4

2,219.0 338.6 1.9 118.0 26.6 13.7 77.7 218.7 111.3 9.4 9.6 8.1 11.7 16.1 17.0 22.1 17.3 107.4 24.5 9.9 7.5 12.4 27.8 9.9 10.7 14.6
1,880.4 197.7 118.9 78.8 583.5 181.2 127.5 53.7 402.3 47.4 55.8 148.8 49.8 139.6 59.4 51.9 28.3 686.4 27.7 226.6 86.7 64.6 30.6 128.8 56.4 30.7 68.2 173.8 273.2 45.8 55.7 171.7

2,181.7 341.3 1.8 118.0 26.4 14.9 76.7 221.5 110.8 8.9 9.5 7.8 11.8 16.4 17.9 21.4 17.1 110.7 25.4 10.5 7.8 12.7 28.4 10.2 10.7 15.2
1,840.4 190.2 115.8 74.4 566.1 176.8 125.0 51.8 389.3 45.1 56.2 140.8 46.4 141.3 62.4 50.7 28.2 676.4 28.1 229.2 88.9 64.2 28.6 125.4 54.2 30.6 66.6 167.9 266.4 49.0 53.8 163.6

+2.3 +0.1 -.4 -0.1 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.1 +.1 +0.4 +.3 +2.2 -.3 -0.4 -.5 -0.2 -.4 -0.4 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +1.2 -.5 -4.3 -.1 -0.6 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.5 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.1 -.1 -0.4 -.1 -1.0 -.1 -1.3 -.1 -0.8 +.2 +0.7 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.9 +.0 +0.0
+2.7 +0.1 -1.0 -0.5
-.9 -0.8 -.1 -0.1 +2.2 +0.4 -.5 -0.3 -.9 -0.7 +.4 +0.7 +2.7 +0.7 +.0 +0.0 -1.0 -1.8 +3.3 +2.2 -.3 -0.6 +.9 +0.6 +.4 +0.7 +.0 +0.0 +.5 +1.8 -.6 -0.1 +.0 +0.0 -2.3 -1.0 -1.7 -2.0 -.5 -0.8 +.3 +1.0 -.2 -0.2 -.1 -0.2 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -0.3 +1.8 +1.0 +1.2 +0.4 +.5 +1.1 +.0 +0.0 +.7 +0.4

+39.6 +1.8 -3.1 -0.9 +.1 +5.6 +.1 +0.1 +.3 +1.1 -.9 -6.0 +.7 +0.9 -3.3 -1.5 +.1 +0.1 +.5 +5.6 +.1 +1.1 +.4 +5.1 -.6 -5.1 -.4 -2.4 -.9 -5.0 +.8 +3.7 +.2 +1.2 -3.4 -3.1 -1.0 -3.9 -.7 -6.7 -.4 -5.1 -.4 -3.1 -.4 -1.4 -.3 -2.9 +.1 +0.9 -.6 -3.9
+42.7 +2.3 +6.5 +3.4 +2.2 +1.9 +4.3 +5.8
+19.6 +3.5 +3.9 +2.2 +1.6 +1.3 +2.3 +4.4
+15.7 +4.0 +2.3 +5.1 -1.4 -2.5 +11.3 +8.0 +3.1 +6.7 -.8 -0.6 -2.6 -4.2 +1.2 +2.4 +.6 +2.1 +9.4 +1.4 -.4 -1.4 -4.9 -2.1 -3.9 -4.4 -.1 -0.2 +2.3 +8.0 +3.2 +2.6 +2.1 +3.9 +.1 +0.3 +1.4 +2.1 +7.7 +4.6 +8.0 +3.0 -2.7 -5.5 +1.9 +3.5 +8.8 +5.4

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 APR 2001 MAR 2001 APR 2000

Change in Jobs from MAR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from APR 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

59.6

59.3

59.2

+.3 +0.5

+.4 +0.7

Goods producing industries

12.4

12.1

12.0

+.3 +2.5

+.4 +3.3

Mining

.0

.0

.0

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Contract construction

4.2

4.0

3.7

+.2 +5.0

+.5 +13.5

Manufacturing

8.2

8.1

8.3

+.1 +1.2

-.1 -1.2

Durable goods

1.4

1.4

1.5

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -6.7

Nondurable goods

6.8

6.7

6.8

+.1 +1.5

+.0 +0.0

Food and kindred products

1.7

1.7

1.7

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Textile mill products

.9

.8

.9

+.1 +12.5

+.0 +0.0

Chemicals and allied products

.6

.6

.6

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Other nondurable goods

3.6

3.6

3.6

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Service producing industries

47.2

47.2

47.2

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

3.4

3.5

3.5

-.1 -2.9

-.1 -2.9

Wholesale and retail trade

13.8

13.8

13.8

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Wholesale trade

3.0

3.0

2.9

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +3.4

Retail trade

10.8

10.8

10.9

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -0.9

Finance, insurance, and real estate

1.7

1.7

1.7

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Services

16.3

16.2

16.0

+.1 +0.6

+.3 +1.9

Government

12.0

12.0

12.2

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -1.6

Federal

2.7

2.7

3.0

+.0 +0.0

-.3 -10.0

State and local

9.3

9.3

9.2

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +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 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 APR 2001 MAR 2001 APR 2000

Change in Jobs from MAR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from APR 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

74.8

74.2

73.6

+.6 +0.8

+1.2 +1.6

Goods producing industries

14.8

14.8

14.7

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +0.7

Construction and mining

3.3

3.3

3.1

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +6.5

Manufacturing

11.5

11.5

11.6

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -0.9

Durable goods

5.6

5.6

5.6

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Nondurable goods

5.9

5.9

6.0

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -1.7

Food and kindred products

3.1

3.1

3.1

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Textiles and apparel

1.4

1.3

1.3

+.1 +7.7

+.1 +7.7

Other nondurable goods

1.4

1.5

1.6

-.1 -6.7

-.2 -12.5

Service producing industries

60.0

59.4

58.9

+.6 +1.0

+1.1 +1.9

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

2.1

2.1

2.1

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Wholesale and retail trade

17.4

17.4

17.3

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +0.6

Wholesale trade

2.9

2.9

2.8

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +3.6

Retail trade

14.5

14.5

14.5

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Finance, insurance, and real estate

2.2

2.2

2.3

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -4.3

Services

17.7

17.3

17.4

+.4 +2.3

+.3 +1.7

Government

20.6

20.4

19.8

+.2 +1.0

+.8 +4.0

Federal

1.9

1.9

1.9

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

State and local

18.7

18.5

17.9

+.2 +1.1

+.8 +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 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 APR 2001 MAR 2001 APR 2000

Change in Jobs from MAR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from APR 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

205.5

204.3

203.0

+1.2 +0.6

+2.5 +1.2

Goods producing industries

43.2

43.0

42.1

+.2 +0.5

+1.1 +2.6

Mining

.3

.3

.3

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Contract construction

13.5

13.5

12.8

+.0 +0.0

+.7 +5.5

Manufacturing

29.4

29.2

29.0

+.2 +0.7

+.4 +1.4

Durable goods

12.0

11.9

11.5

+.1 +0.8

+.5 +4.3

Lumber and wood products

1.4

1.3

1.2

+.1 +7.7

+.2 +16.7

Stone, clay, and glass products

2.4

2.4

2.6

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -7.7

Other durable goods

8.2

8.2

7.7

+.0 +0.0

+.5 +6.5

Nondurable goods

17.4

17.3

17.5

+.1 +0.6

-.1 -0.6

Food and kindred products

2.3

2.3

2.4

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -4.2

Textile mill products

4.7

4.7

4.7

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Apparel and other finished textiles

1.6

1.6

1.8

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -11.1

Printing and publishing

2.0

1.9

1.8

+.1 +5.3

+.2 +11.1

Other nondurable goods

6.8

6.8

6.8

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Service producing industries

162.3

161.3

160.9

+1.0 +0.6

+1.4 +0.9

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

17.3

17.3

17.1

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +1.2

Wholesale and retail trade

44.4

43.7

43.9

+.7 +1.6

+.5 +1.1

Wholesale trade

4.7

4.7

4.6

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +2.2

Retail trade

39.7

39.0

39.3

+.7 +1.8

+.4 +1.0

Finance, insurance, and real estate

6.2

6.2

6.2

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Services

52.2

52.0

51.5

+.2 +0.4

+.7 +1.4

Government

42.2

42.1

42.2

+.1 +0.2

+.0 +0.0

Federal

7.6

7.6

7.4

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +2.7

State and local

34.6

34.5

34.8

+.1 +0.3

-.2 -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 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 APR 2001 MAR 2001 APR 2000

Change in Jobs from MAR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from APR 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment Goods producing industries

121.3 25.7

121.4 25.5

121.2 26.6

-.1 -0.1 +.2 +0.8

+.1 +0.1 -.9 -3.4

Construction and mining

5.5

5.4

5.5

+.1 +1.9

+.0 +0.0

Manufacturing

20.2

20.1

21.1

+.1 +0.5

-.9 -4.3

Durable goods

9.0

9.0

9.1

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -1.1

Nondurable goods

11.2

11.1

12.0

+.1 +0.9

-.8 -6.7

Food and kindred products

2.4

2.4

3.1

+.0 +0.0

-.7 -22.6

Textile mill products

5.6

5.5

5.7

+.1 +1.8

-.1 -1.8

Printing and publishing

1.0

1.0

1.1

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -9.1

Other nondurable goods

2.2

2.2

2.1

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +4.8

Service producing industries

95.6

95.9

94.6

-.3 -0.3

+1.0 +1.1

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

4.8

4.8

4.5

+.0 +0.0

+.3 +6.7

Wholesale and retail trade

26.5

26.2

26.1

+.3 +1.1

+.4 +1.5

Wholesale trade

3.0

3.0

3.0

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Retail trade

23.5

23.2

23.1

+.3 +1.3

+.4 +1.7

Finance, insurance, and real estate

9.0

8.9

8.5

+.1 +1.1

+.5 +5.9

Services

34.0

34.4

34.5

-.4 -1.2

-.5 -1.4

Government

21.3

21.6

21.0

-.3 -1.4

+.3 +1.4

Federal

5.7

5.6

5.9

+.1 +1.8

-.2 -3.4

State and local

15.6

16.0

15.1

-.4 -2.5

+.5 +3.3

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 APR 2001 MAR 2001 APR 2000

Change in Jobs from MAR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from APR 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

151.9

152.0

152.0

-.1 -0.1

-.1 -0.1

Goods producing industries

25.9

26.0

26.3

-.1 -0.4

-.4 -1.5

Mining

.9

.8

.8

+.1 +12.5

+.1 +12.5

Contract construction

6.5

6.6

6.5

-.1 -1.5

+.0 +0.0

Manufacturing

18.5

18.6

19.0

-.1 -0.5

-.5 -2.6

Durable goods

9.1

9.1

9.4

+.0 +0.0

-.3 -3.2

Nondurable goods

9.4

9.5

9.6

-.1 -1.1

-.2 -2.1

Food and kindred products

2.2

2.2

2.3

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -4.3

Textile and apparel products

.8

.9

.9

-.1 -11.1

-.1 -11.1

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

126.0

126.0

125.7

+.0 +0.0

+.3 +0.2

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

6.2

6.2

6.0

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +3.3

Wholesale and retail trade

35.4

35.0

35.2

+.4 +1.1

+.2 +0.6

Wholesale trade

5.1

5.1

4.9

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +4.1

Retail trade

30.3

29.9

30.3

+.4 +1.3

+.0 +0.0

Finance, insurance, and real estate

9.0

9.0

9.5

+.0 +0.0

-.5 -5.3

Services

42.0

42.2

42.0

-.2 -0.5

+.0 +0.0

Government

33.4

33.6

33.0

-.2 -0.6

+.4 +1.2

Federal

14.1

14.1

13.9

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +1.4

State and local

19.3

19.5

19.1

-.2 -1.0

+.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 APR 2001 MAR 2001 APR 2000

Change in Jobs from MAR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from APR 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

139.0 25.6 9.1 16.5 9.0 .8 5.8 2.4 7.5 1.5 3.3 1.5 .3 .9
113.4

137.4 25.5 9.0 16.5 9.1 .8 5.9 2.4 7.4 1.4 3.3 1.5 .3 .9
111.9

138.5 25.6 8.3 17.3 9.6 .8 6.4 2.4 7.7 1.4 3.4 1.5 .3 1.1
112.9

+1.6 +1.2 +.1 +0.4 +.1 +1.1 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -1.1 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -1.7 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +1.4 +.1 +7.1 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0
+1.5 +1.3

+.5 +0.4 +.0 +0.0 +.8 +9.6 -.8 -4.6 -.6 -6.3 +.0 +0.0 -.6 -9.4 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -2.6 +.1 +7.1 -.1 -2.9 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -18.2 +.5 +0.4

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

9.6

9.5

9.4

+.1 +1.1

+.2 +2.1

Wholesale and retail trade

35.0

34.7

35.3

+.3 +0.9

-.3 -0.8

Wholesale trade

5.5

5.4

5.7

+.1 +1.9

-.2 -3.5

Retail trade

29.5

29.3

29.6

+.2 +0.7

-.1 -0.3

Finance, insurance, and real estate

4.7

4.7

4.6

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +2.2

Services

43.7

42.5

43.1

+1.2 +2.8

+.6 +1.4

Government

20.4

20.5

20.5

-.1 -0.5

-.1 -0.5

Federal

2.7

2.7

2.9

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -6.9

State and local

17.7

17.8

17.6

-.1 -0.6

+.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 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 Georgias Labor .orce

For first time this year, unemployment rate declines
On the heels of three consecutive months of steady rising unemployment rates, Georgia's rate dropped two-tenths percentage point to 3.5 percent in April. Continuing to follow a systematic historical pattern, the state's March-to-April decline was expected. For thirty of the past thirty-two years, the last twenty-one of which were consecutive years, Georgia's jobless rate has declined from March to April with the over-the-month change averaging fourtenths percentage point. The state's rate was unchanged over the year at 3.5 percent in April 2000.
The U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, was down by nearly one-half of a percentage point in April to 4.2 percent, it's lowest level this year. However, despite the nation's significant rate decline, Georgia continued to score favorably when compared to the nation as a whole. At seven-tenths percentage point below the U.S. rate in April, the state's jobless rate has prevailed below the nation's rate for the past six months and has exceeded the U.S. rate only seven times in more than a decade. One year ago, the nation's rate was 3.7 percent.
In April, there were fewer new job seekers and reentrants in the labor force which swayed the over-the-month decline in the total number of unemployed persons. Dropping by 8,000 over the month, the number of unemployed persons declined 5.1 percent in April despite a slight increase in the number of persons receiving unemployment insurance (UI) benefits during the April reference week. At slightly more than 148,000, the total number of unemployed persons was at 3-month low in April.

6.0% 5.0%

Unemployment rates -- Georgia and U.S.

Georgia

U.S.

4.0%

3.0%

2.0%

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

2000

2001

For the third straight month, total civilian employment continued to grow, reaching its highest level for the year. At slightly less than 4.1 million in April, the total number of civilian employed was just above last month's level by less than 4,500, an increase of only 0.1 percent. Despite a slowing trend in the state's job growth, the slight increase in the state's civilian employment level was due primarily to an over-themonth increase in nonagricultural employment. Also included in the total number of civilian employed are self-employed, unpaid family and private household workers, which also increased in April.
Area data
Six of Georgia's Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) followed the statewide trend and registered lower unemployment rates in April. For the second straight month, Atlanta, at 2.9 percent, posted the lowest rate of all metro areas, beating out heavily

favored Athens, which prior to March 2001 was the mainstay in this category for more than nine years. Savannah, which tied with Atlanta last month, declined one-tenth percentage point over the month to 3.0 percent and registered the second lowest metro area rate. Despite a decline of one percentage point, Albany, at 5.3 percent, had the highest rate of all MSAs in the state.
In April, the unemployment situation improved in most Georgia counties as 111 counties followed the statewide trend with lower over-the-month jobless rates. Thirtyfive counties experienced increases in their rates and the remaining 13 counties were essentially unchanged in April. Colquitt County, at 10.4 percent, posted the highest county rate in the state and was one of only two counties with double-digit jobless rates. Dawson County, for the second straight month, had the lowest rate of 1.4 percent.

Percent 8
7

Southeastern states and U.S. unemployment rates

Apri l

March

6

5.6

5.0 4.9

5

4

3.8 3.6 3.5 3.7 4.1 4.3 4.3

4.4 4.5

3.7 3.7

3.9 4.2

4.6 4.2

3

2

1

0

AL

FL

GA

KY

MS

NC

SC

TN

US

10

Following last month's second place standing, Georgia rallied back to the top spot in the Southeast. At 3.5 percent in April, Georgia registered the lowest unemployment rate of all states in the region for the fourth time in five months. Also, Georgia, along with Florida, 3.8 percent, Kentucky, 4.1 percent, South Carolina, 3.7 percent, and Tennessee, 3.9 percent, were the only states to post jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 4.2 percent. Increasing one-tenth percentage point over the month, Alabama, at 5.0 percent, upstaged Mississippi, the longtime stronghold in this category, to post the highest rate in the Southeast. Mississippi, which declined one and three tenths percentage points, had the most improved over-the-month unemployment situation in April. At 4.3 percent, Mississippi's rate was within one-tenth percentage point of the U.S. rate and at its lowest level in two years.

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

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

Employment Status
Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

Preliminary APR 2001
4,198,937 4,050,606
148,331 3.5

Revised MAR 2001
4,202,620 4,046,289
156,331 3.7

Revised APR 2000
4,137,851 3,995,075
142,776 3.5

Change From

Revised

Revised

MAR 2001

APR 2000

-3,683 4,317 -8,000
--

61,086 55,531
5,555 --

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

56,121

56,496

56,087

-375

34

53,123

52,925

52,997

198

126

2,998

3,571

3,090

-573

-92

5.3

6.3

5.5

--

--

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

74,933 72,593
2,340 3.1

74,259 71,819
2,440 3.3

73,254 71,623
1,631 2.2

674 774 -100
--

1,679 970 709 --

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

2,270,353 2,203,387
66,966 2.9

2,274,346 2,204,639
69,707 3.1

2,246,028 2,182,537
63,491 2.8

-3,993 -1,252 -2,741
--

24,325 20,850
3,475 --

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

208,815 201,391
7,424 3.6

208,623 200,439
8,184 3.9

207,658 198,969
8,689 4.2

192

1,157

952

2,422

-760

-1,265

--

--

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

125,647 120,407
5,240 4.2

125,765 120,598
5,167 4.1

125,971 120,665
5,306 4.2

-118 -191
73 --

-324 -258
-66 --

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

151,003 145,907
5,096 3.4

151,584 146,002
5,582 3.7

152,712 147,022
5,690 3.7

-581 -95
-486 --

-1,709 -1,115
-594 --

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

135,690 131,625
4,065 3.0

134,398 130,234
4,164 3.1

136,852 132,306
4,546 3.3

1,292 1,391
-99 --

-1,162 -681 -481 --

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

Area

Employment Status

APR 2001

MAR 2001

APR 2000

Change From

MAR 2001

APR 2000

United States
(Seasonally adjusted)

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

141,757,000 135,354,000
6,402,000 4.5

141,868,000 135,780,000
6,088,000 4.3

141,114,000 135,517,000
5,597,000 4.0

-111,000 -426,000 314,000
--

643,000 -163,000 805,000
--

United States
(Not Seasonally adjusted)

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed

141,073,000 135,122,000
5,951,000

141,751,000 135,298,000
6,453,000

140,403,000 135,215,000
5,188,000

-678,000 -176,000 -502,000

670,000 -93,000 763,000

Rate

4.2

4.6

3.7

--

--

Note: Employment includes nonagricultural wage and salary employment, self-employment, unpaid family and private household workers 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, Fulton, 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 .our

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Georgia just southwest of the sprawling Atlanta metroplex, Service Delivery Region Four is an area diverse in both demographics and economic trends. Most of the ten counties are still predominantly rural in nature, with picturesque towns and cities dotting the landscape. Extending from Carroll County on the Alabama border eastward to Butts, then south to Upson and back west to Troup and Heard Counties, it lies just outside the grasp of the urban sprawl affecting its neighbors to the north. It is an area in flux, battling the problems of a declining manufacturing base and scrambling to keep its citizens employed. All in all, local officials and businesses have done an admirable job of fighting off economic doldrums. As with most successful efforts, it has been a collaborative one with a common sense regional approach to maintaining stability. Cooperation has replaced competition and the entire region has benefitted. Construction, Trade and Services jobs have been added to offset losses in the manufacturing sector. The end result has not been the spectacular growth enjoyed by some other areas, but rather a

stabilization that has allowed maintenance of the status quo for the most part.
The total population of the area increased a solid 10.6 percent between 1995 and 2000, totaling roughly 404,000 people in the recently released Census Bureau figures. This was about three percentage points slower than the statewide growth rate, but still better than many rural areas of the Peach State. About half of the area's ten counties enjoyed higher than average population increases, with Coweta, Butts, and Pike all exceeding twenty percent growth since 1995. On the other end of the scale, Spalding, Troup and Upson Counties reported only slight population increases, and Meriwether actually posted a decline. More importantly, the area's labor force grew at a higher rate (16.4%) than did the state (15.4%), indicating that a significantly larger portion of SDR Four's populace are now actively participating in the labor force. Whether this was by design or by economic necessity is difficult to ascertain, but does not affect the end result. The area has been able to sustain itself economically simply by providing enough job opportunities to keep the paychecks flowing and the citizens content.

As is true for most rural areas across the state and nation, SDR Four has been moving away from a goods producing economic base towards one that is more service oriented. However, the shift has not been quite as dramatic and has been more evenly distributed than in most other geographies. Instead of a direct shift from manufacturing to services, SDR 4 has seen only modest growth in business and personal services, with construction and trade jobs actually outpacing them. Textile jobs were the hardest hit among manufacturing jobs, accounting for 3,500 lost jobs in the past five years. The unemployment rate for the region has remained at or slightly above the statewide rate over the past few years, with only the 2000 figure showing any greater disparity. By Georgia standards the 4.5 percent jobless rate recorded last year might be a bit on the high side of normal, but many areas of the state and nation would be thrilled to post a rate that low. Spectacular economic gains may not be on the horizon for SDR Four, but neither is there any reason to expect a serious downturn in the foreseeable future.

The Little White House, Warm Springs, Georgia
12

Spotlight: Service Delivery Region .our

SDR #4

C a rro ll

H e a rd

C ow e ta

Sp ald ing Bu tts

T ro u p

Pike Lam ar M e riw e th e r
Upson

Career Centers
Carrollton ............ (770) 836-6668 Griffin .................. (770) 228-7226 LaGrange ............. (706) 845-4000 Newnan ................ (770) 254-7220

Population/labor force growth - SDR 4

450,000 400,000 350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000
50,000

1995

P opulation

Labor Force

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

Unemployment rates - Georgia vs SDR 4

SDR 3

Georgia

5.0

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0 1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

Employment 50,000
45,000

Key industry employment 1997 vs 2000
1997 2000

40,000

35,000

30,000

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0 Construction Manufacturing

Trade

Services

All Other

Industry mix 2000

Agriculture 1%

Construction 5%

Government 18%
Services 18%
TP U 4% FIRE
3%

Manufacturing 27%

Trade 24%

Mining 0%
13

Georgia Labor .orce Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

County
Georgia

Preliminary April 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

4,198,937 4,050,606 148,331

3.5

Revised March 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

4,202,620 4,046,289 156,331 3.7

Appling Atkinson Bacon Baker Baldwin

8,182 7,613 569 7.0

3,592 3,236 356 9.9

4,535 4,204 331 7.3

1,659 1,578

81 4.9

18,651 17,995 656 3.5

8,194 3,555 4,474 1,656 18,581

7,587 3,217 4,190 1,565 17,972

607 7.4 338 9.5 284 6.3
91 5.5 609 3.3

Banks Barrow Bartow Ben Hill Berrien

6,705 6,391 314 4.7 21,983 21,116 867 3.9 41,228 39,443 1,785 4.3
9,482 9,058 424 4.5 6,632 6,307 325 4.9

6,612 6,368

244 3.7

22,104 21,128

976 4.4

41,441 39,466 1,975 4.8

9,538 9,025

513 5.4

6,603 6,274

329 5.0

Bibb Bleckley Brantley Brooks Bryan

72,240 69,427 2,813 3.9 5,913 5,784 129 2.2 6,468 6,156 312 4.8 7,875 7,555 320 4.1 11,158 10,917 241 2.2

72,685 69,473 3,212 4.4

5,927 5,767

160 2.7

6,469 6,142

327 5.1

7,829 7,537

292 3.7

11,063 10,802

261 2.4

Bulloch Burke Butts Calhoun Camden

27,285 26,642 643 2.4 9,068 8,487 581 6.4 9,270 8,799 471 5.1 2,497 2,357 140 5.6
17,292 16,723 569 3.3

27,229 9,016 9,261 2,524
17,350

26,582 8,460 8,785 2,340
16,695

647 2.4 556 6.2 476 5.1 184 7.3 655 3.8

Candler

3,919 3,783 136 3.5

Carroll

45,854 43,813 2,041 4.5

Catoosa

27,090 26,591 499 1.8

Charlton

3,892 3,754 138 3.5

Chatham 106,041 102,684 3,357 3.2

3,914 3,763

151 3.9

46,525 43,838 2,687 5.8

27,321 26,475

846 3.1

3,891 3,748

143 3.7

104,955 101,599 3,356 3.2

Chattahoochee 2,382 2,251 131 5.5

Chattooga 12,216 11,717 499 4.1

Cherokee

83,274 81,812 1,462 1.8

Clarke

47,244 45,657 1,587 3.4

Clay

1,603 1,520

83 5.2

2,389 2,255

134 5.6

12,273 11,700

573 4.7

83,479 81,858 1,621 1.9

46,811 45,170 1,641 3.5

1,606 1,510

96 6.0

Clayton Clinch Cobb Coffee Colquitt

127,152 122,846 4,306 3.4 3,626 3,371 255 7.0
365,145 356,174 8,971 2.5 22,057 20,266 1,791 8.1 21,078 18,893 2,185 10.4

127,346 122,916 4,430 3.5

3,637 3,359

278 7.6

365,402 356,376 9,026 2.5

21,404 20,191 1,213 5.7

19,954 18,807 1,147 5.7

Columbia Cook Coweta Crawford Crisp

45,199 44,229 970 2.1 8,473 8,119 354 4.2
47,432 45,947 1,485 3.1 6,189 5,998 191 3.1 9,822 9,289 533 5.4

44,950 43,975

975 2.2

8,438 8,089

349 4.1

47,806 45,973 1,833 3.8

6,185 5,985

200 3.2

9,760 9,246

514 5.3

Revised April 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

4,137,851 3,995,075 142,776

3.5

7,939 3,286 4,260 1,571 18,199

7,360 3,108 4,062 1,496 17,505

579 7.3 178 5.4 198 4.6
75 4.8 694 3.8

6,425 6,178 247 3.8 21,535 20,916 619 2.9 40,486 39,070 1,416 3.5
9,273 8,751 522 5.6 6,400 6,053 347 5.4

73,193 69,958 3,235 4.4 5,788 5,602 186 3.2 6,302 5,975 327 5.2 7,757 7,325 432 5.6
11,293 10,973 320 2.8

26,613 8,928 9,051 2,397
16,828

25,851 8,206 8,549 2,248
16,250

762 2.9 722 8.1 502 5.5 149 6.2 578 3.4

3,834 3,633 201 5.2

45,244 43,399 1,845 4.1

27,157 26,546

611 2.2

3,772 3,648 124 3.3

106,906 103,215 3,691 3.5

2,460 2,265 195 7.9

11,712 11,391 321 2.7

82,572 81,038 1,534 1.9

46,218 45,047 1,171 2.5

1,535 1,455

80 5.2

125,889 121,683 4,206 3.3 3,354 3,254 100 3.0
361,305 352,803 8,502 2.4 20,547 19,572 975 4.7 19,125 18,199 926 4.8

45,158 43,979 1,179 2.6 8,221 7,837 384 4.7
47,211 45,512 1,699 3.6 6,028 5,807 221 3.7 9,495 8,949 546 5.8

14

Georgia Labor .orce Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

County
Dade Dawson Decatur DeKalb Dodge
Dooly Dougherty Douglas Early Echols

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

Preliminary April 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,511 7,346 165 2.2 17,493 17,243 250 1.4 12,046 11,342 704 5.8 366,564 353,820 12,744 3.5 10,059 9,582 477 4.7

Revised March 2001

Revised April 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,483 7,314

169 2.3

17,533 17,282

251 1.4

12,062 11,298

764 6.3

367,048 354,021 13,027 3.5

10,012 9,579

433 4.3

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,515 7,334 181 2.4 17,114 16,862 252 1.5 11,539 10,943 596 5.2 362,887 350,472 12,415 3.4
9,758 9,305 453 4.6

4,686 4,369 317 6.8 44,146 41,566 2,580 5.8 53,112 51,814 1,298 2.4
4,773 4,501 272 5.7 1,351 1,245 106 7.8

4,654 4,349

305 6.6

4,525 4,209 316 7.0

44,507 41,411 3,096 7.0 44,131 41,467 2,664 6.0

53,291 51,844 1,447 2.7 52,734 51,324 1,410 2.7

4,756 4,474

282 5.9

4,634 4,310 324 7.0

1,305 1,242

63 4.8

1,242 1,207

35 2.8

Effingham Elbert Emanuel Evans Fannin

18,491 18,024 467 2.5 9,085 8,521 564 6.2 8,633 8,096 537 6.2 5,017 4,873 144 2.9 9,484 9,232 252 2.7

Fayette Floyd Forsyth Franklin Fulton

51,802 50,891 911 1.8 46,091 44,048 2,043 4.4 56,051 55,100 951 1.7 10,747 10,369 378 3.5 411,618 396,868 14,750 3.6

Gilmer Glascock Glynn Gordon Grady

8,254 8,074 180 2.2

1,033

986

47 4.5

36,261 35,086 1,175 3.2

23,810 22,231 1,579 6.6

9,420 8,936 484 5.1

Greene Gwinnett Habersham Hall Hancock

5,885 5,543 342 5.8 347,701 339,543 8,158 2.3
16,794 15,616 1,178 7.0 76,063 73,631 2,432 3.2
4,122 3,702 420 10.2

Haralson Harris Hart Heard Henry

10,264 9,706 558 5.4 12,241 11,745 496 4.1 10,230 9,727 503 4.9
4,697 4,495 202 4.3 64,435 62,920 1,515 2.4

Houston Irwin Jackson Jasper Jeff Davis

51,511 50,192 1,319 2.6 5,133 4,838 295 5.7 23,696 22,977 719 3.0 4,948 4,755 193 3.9 5,330 5,024 306 5.7

18,382 9,293 8,569 5,038 9,633

17,834 8,495 8,089 4,856 9,240

548 3.0 798 8.6 480 5.6 182 3.6 393 4.1

18,653 8,888 8,696 4,959 9,243

18,118 8,252 7,853 4,710 8,999

535 2.9 636 7.2 843 9.7 249 5.0 244 2.6

51,940 50,920 1,020 2.0 51,313 50,410 903 1.8

46,105 43,994 2,111 4.6 44,310 42,848 1,462 3.3

56,069 55,131

938 1.7 55,440 54,579 861 1.6

10,892 10,339

553 5.1 10,370 10,043 327 3.2

412,078 397,094 14,984 3.6 406,865 393,113 13,752 3.4

8,341 8,052

289 3.5

8,089 7,831 258 3.2

1,026

982

44 4.3

987 953

34 3.4

36,301 35,034 1,267 3.5 35,345 34,155 1,190 3.4

23,819 22,183 1,636 6.9 22,257 21,575 682 3.1

9,410 8,906

504 5.4

9,125 8,589 536 5.9

5,908 5,526

382 6.5

5,858 5,368 490 8.4

348,184 339,736 8,448 2.4 343,796 336,330 7,466 2.2

16,313 15,566

747 4.6 15,756 15,117 639 4.1

75,882 73,678 2,204 2.9 73,184 71,722 1,462 2.0

4,161 3,692

469 11.3

3,943 3,585 358 9.1

10,255 9,708

547 5.3

12,134 11,764

370 3.0

10,731 9,700 1,031 9.6

4,820 4,498

322 6.7

64,293 62,956 1,337 2.1

9,884 9,448 436 4.4

12,138 11,816 322 2.7

9,844 9,426

418 4.2

4,670 4,375 295 6.3

63,631 62,325 1,306 2.1

51,574 50,225 1,349 2.6 52,001 50,576 1,425 2.7

5,095 4,821

274 5.4

4,924 4,675 249 5.1

23,730 22,914

816 3.4 22,830 22,271 559 2.4

4,973 4,753

220 4.4

4,796 4,618 178 3.7

5,329 5,005

324 6.1

5,149 4,854 295 5.7

15

Georgia Labor .orce Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

County
Jefferson Jenkins Johnson Jones Lamar

Preliminary April 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,448 6,820 628 8.4 4,669 4,440 229 4.9 3,664 3,458 206 5.6 11,972 11,620 352 2.9 6,675 6,348 327 4.9

Revised March 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,409 4,699 3,676 12,022 6,659

6,798 4,432 3,447 11,628 6,350

611 8.2 267 5.7 229 6.2 394 3.3 309 4.6

Lanier Laurens Lee Liberty Lincoln

3,685 3,515 170 4.6 22,369 21,565 804 3.6 11,975 11,557 418 3.5 18,151 17,300 851 4.7
3,169 2,874 295 9.3

3,644 22,389 11,989 18,229
3,212

3,506 21,516 11,514 17,278
2,865

138 3.8 873 3.9 475 4.0 951 5.2 347 10.8

Long Lowndes Lumpkin McDuffie McIntosh

3,917 3,817 100 2.6 44,324 42,494 1,830 4.1 11,382 11,170 212 1.9
9,707 9,224 483 5.0 4,633 4,412 221 4.8

3,909 43,990 11,413
9,914 4,645

3,811 42,388 11,182
9,171 4,403

98 2.5 1,602 3.6
231 2.0 743 7.5 242 5.2

Macon

5,757 5,328 429 7.5

Madison

13,963 13,431 532 3.8

Marion

3,515 3,375 140 4.0

Meriwether

9,597 8,897 700 7.3

Miller

3,228 3,065 163 5.0

5,782 13,841
3,525 9,666 3,207

5,298 13,288
3,363 8,902 3,047

484 8.4 553 4.0 162 4.6 764 7.9 160 5.0

Mitchell

12,283 11,687 596 4.9

Monroe

8,729 8,392 337 3.9

Montgomery 3,811 3,545 266 7.0

Morgan

7,489 7,279 210 2.8

Murray

20,350 19,607 743 3.7

12,285 8,744 3,864 7,498
20,416

11,632 8,397 3,534 7,249
19,623

653 5.3 347 4.0 330 8.5 249 3.3 793 3.9

Muscogee 85,164 81,688 3,476 4.1

Newton

30,997 29,989 1,008 3.3

Oconee

13,726 13,505 221 1.6

Oglethorpe

6,411 6,163 248 3.9

Paulding

43,661 42,817 844 1.9

85,253 31,100 13,608
6,384 43,766

81,818 30,006 13,361
6,146 42,841

3,435 4.0 1,094 3.5
247 1.8 238 3.7 925 2.1

Peach Pickens Pierce Pike Polk

11,044 10,672 372 3.4 11,304 11,016 288 2.5 7,779 7,493 286 3.7 6,690 6,423 267 4.0 17,619 16,762 857 4.9

11,084 11,386 7,762 6,713 17,770

10,679 11,022 7,462 6,422 16,777

405 3.7 364 3.2 300 3.9 291 4.3 993 5.6

Pulaski Putnam Quitman Rabun Randolph

4,634 4,466 168 3.6

9,679 9,395 284 2.9

1,542 1,487

55 3.6

7,580 7,408 172 2.3

3,392 3,167 225 6.6

4,643 9,742 1,564 7,966 3,631

4,463 9,393 1,488 7,393 3,155

180 3.9 349 3.6
76 4.9 573 7.2 476 13.1

16

Revised April 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,222 4,470 3,546 12,136 6,666

6,591 4,287 3,348 11,709 6,176

631 8.7 183 4.1 198 5.6 427 3.5 490 7.4

3,569 22,177 11,956 17,789
3,030

3,408 20,922 11,530 16,820
2,786

161 4.5 1,255 5.7
426 3.6 969 5.4 244 8.1

3,868 43,796 11,070
9,585 4,588

3,710 41,197 10,884
9,172 4,278

158 4.1 2,599 5.9
186 1.7 413 4.3 310 6.8

5,637 13,540
3,412 9,229 3,127

5,110 13,251
3,263 8,659 2,935

527 9.3 289 2.1 149 4.4 570 6.2 192 6.1

11,950 8,652 3,773 7,270
19,657

11,245 8,173 3,430 7,021
19,115

705 5.9 479 5.5 343 9.1 249 3.4 542 2.8

85,996 30,696 13,497
6,127 43,420

82,179 29,705 13,325
5,969 42,411

3,817 4.4 991 3.2 172 1.3 158 2.6
1,009 2.3

11,197 11,206
7,489 6,521 16,957

10,753 10,912
7,225 6,246 16,344

444 4.0 294 2.6 264 3.5 275 4.2 613 3.6

4,495 9,415 1,521 7,329 3,249

4,326 9,125 1,446 7,211 3,057

169 3.8 290 3.1
75 4.9 118 1.6 192 5.9

Georgia Labor .orce Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

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

Preliminary April 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

80,214 76,384 3,830 4.8

40,106 39,154 952 2.4

1,858 1,784

74 4.0

6,097 5,743 354 5.8

4,929 4,713 216 4.4

30,362 28,681 1,681 5.5 12,044 11,505 539 4.5
2,493 2,340 153 6.1 15,633 14,780 853 5.5
3,086 2,884 202 6.5

878

823

55 6.3

7,441 7,061 380 5.1

3,826 3,673 153 4.0

4,975 4,625 350 7.0

4,172 3,903 269 6.4

21,874 21,027 847 3.9

21,132 20,184 948 4.5

12,489 11,645 844 6.8

4,361 4,268

93 2.1

2,783 2,615 168 6.0

31,650 30,095 1,555 4.9 4,320 3,959 361 8.4 4,235 3,996 239 5.6 7,909 7,703 206 2.6
12,766 11,888 878 6.9

31,970 30,850 1,120 3.5 30,571 29,623 948 3.1 16,329 15,535 794 4.9
2,721 2,532 189 6.9 9,896 9,476 420 4.2

11,789 11,254 535 4.5

1,162 1,124

38 3.3

2,088 1,933 155 7.4

9,336 9,045 291 3.1

48,579 47,045 1,534 3.2

3,352 3,224 128 3.8 5,513 5,235 278 5.0 4,710 4,511 199 4.2 9,611 9,036 575 6.0

Revised March 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

80,046 75,946 4,100 5.1

40,220 39,176 1,044 2.6

1,880 1,784

96 5.1

6,186 5,719

467 7.5

4,920 4,684

236 4.8

Revised April 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

80,244 75,951 4,293 5.3

39,767 38,783 984 2.5

1,817 1,734

83 4.6

5,949 5,542 407 6.8

4,753 4,518 235 4.9

30,275 12,181
2,520 15,677
3,055

28,697 11,485 2,331 14,735
2,886

1,578 5.2 696 5.7 189 7.5 942 6.0 169 5.5

29,697 28,410 1,287 4.3 11,606 11,179 427 3.7
2,407 2,261 146 6.1 15,007 14,310 697 4.6
3,026 2,805 221 7.3

882 7,465 3,800 4,885 4,184

818 7,014 3,658 4,606 3,882

64 7.3 451 6.0 142 3.7 279 5.7 302 7.2

842 7,462 3,729 4,886 4,037

793 6,748 3,543 4,462 3,750

49 5.8 714 9.6 186 5.0 424 8.7 287 7.1

21,940 21,046 12,498
4,382 2,793

20,964 20,106 11,610
4,255 2,607

976 4.4 940 4.5 888 7.1 127 2.9 186 6.7

21,176 20,447 12,576
4,301 2,753

20,362 19,487 11,267
4,149 2,530

814 960 1,309 152 223

3.8 4.7 10.4 3.5 8.1

31,481 4,383 4,220 7,920
12,517

30,050 3,936 3,998 7,673 11,868

1,431 4.5 447 10.2 222 5.3 247 3.1 649 5.2

30,562 4,237 4,185 7,697
12,311

29,272 3,801 4,026 7,453
11,557

1,290 4.2 436 10.3 159 3.8 244 3.2 754 6.1

32,644 30,595 16,342
2,844 9,986

30,716 29,640 15,502
2,524 9,453

1,928 5.9 955 3.1 840 5.1 320 11.3 533 5.3

31,719 30,335 15,675
2,610 9,629

30,797 29,342 15,087
2,447 9,179

922 2.9 993 3.3 588 3.8 163 6.2 450 4.7

11,760 11,229

531 4.5 11,477 10,927 550 4.8

1,168 1,117

51 4.4

1,124 1,078

46 4.1

2,119 1,925

194 9.2

2,022 1,864 158 7.8

9,316 9,018

298 3.2

9,172 8,776 396 4.3

48,992 46,979 2,013 4.1 46,962 45,744 1,218 2.6

3,357 5,768 4,712 9,579

3,209 5,237 4,503 8,988

148 4.4 531 9.2 209 4.4 591 6.2

3,251 5,491 4,604 9,190

3,107 5,087 4,380 8,677

144 4.4 404 7.4 224 4.9 513 5.6

17

New Developments

Alliances for Better Education Inc. (ABE) will
locate its new startup company at the old Payback plant in Sparta. ABE will manufacture computer desks, refurbish microcomputers and fabricate computer servers at its Sparta plant to provide technology for a new concept in computer-assisted learning classrooms. A $215,000 grant from the OneGeorgia Authority provided the county development authority the means to purchase the 17,000-square-foot Payback building to lease to the company. ABE will lease the building for the next five years, providing the company with a five-year tax incentive. OneGeorgia is responsible for distributing one-third of the state's tobacco settlement by offering loans and grants to attract economic development projects throughout the state. In an area where the last manufacturing facility closed its doors two months ago, local and state officials welcomed the company's recent announcement to locate and bring new jobs to Hancock County.
Regal Marine Industries recently announced plans
to lease the facility formerly occupied by U.S. Marine/ Bayliner in the Azalea City Industrial Park for its new manufacturing operations in Valdosta. Similar to ABE, the county industrial authority used a $1.5 million grant from OneGeorgia, along with a substantial local investment to purchase the property to be leased to the company. Headquartered in Orlando, Regal Marine is one of the largest privately owned boat manufacturers in the country. Regal has already hired 50 workers and plans to add 400 more by 2004 and nearly double that number in ten years in Lowndes County.
Power Interactive Media will soon break ground
on its new manufacturing facility at the newly opened Airport East Industrial Park in Macon. Based in Ontario, Canada, Power Interactive will build its new $7.5 million plant on a 10-acre site where it will develop and manufacture digital photo imaging kiosks. The computerized modules insert photos onto images from licensed entertainment venues such as the National Football League, the World Wrestling Federation, the National Hockey League, Mattel and Universal Studios. The industrial authority is assisting the company's move to Georgia through tax abatements. Local jobs at Power Interactive will include computer professionals, graphic designers and production workers. Construction of the new facil-

ity is expected to take about eight to ten months with the hiring of the first 75 to 100 employees to begin by early next year in Bibb County.
Hoshizaki America Inc. formally dedicated its new
manufacturing facility at a recent ribbon cutting ceremony in Griffin. The new $16 million plant, which is located on a 37-acre tract in the Green Valley Industrial Park, has been in operation since January. Encompassing 237,000 square feet of space, the building is divided into two sections, the manufacturing facility and shipping and warehouse. The company produces commercial-grade refrigerators and ice-makers. The "reach-in" refrigerators and freezer systems will be sold to the company's clients such as Chick-fil-A, Sonic and Burger King and the ice machines will be used by hotels and motels. Hoshizaki chose the Griffin location because it offered an affordable site with a close proximity to Interstate 75. The plant employs 75 people with wages starting at $10 an hour in Spalding County.
Suzanna's Kitchen plans to double its manufactur-
ing facilities with an $8.5 million expansion in Duluth. Suzanna's, a food manufacturer which specializes in fully prepared pork, chicken, beef and turkey, plans to purchase an additional facility located one mile from the company's existing facility. The company has been in business since 1960, offering its fully prepared food to restaurants, grocery stores, caterers and country clubs. Several companies use Suzanna's food products including Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Dominos and Honey Baked Ham. The new facility will be completed and ready for business by early next year and will initially employ 40 people with the potential to employ 400 when it is fully operational in Gwinnett County.
Stein Mart recently opened its doors in the Banks
Crossing Shopping Center in Fayetteville. The 43,000-square-foot upscale discount store features a unique ladies' boutique and includes an assorted collection of designer and well-known apparel brands for men, women and children. Other items available include shoes for men and women, fashion jewelry, leather handbags, photo frames and unusual housewares. The Fayetteville store has hired 79 employees and store hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday in Fayette County.

18

Georgia Unemployment Rates by County

April 2001

Dade Catoosa

Whitfield

Walker

Murray

Chattooga

Gordon

Floyd

Bartow

Fannin

Towns

Union

Rabun

Gilmer Pickens Cherokee

White Haber-

Lumpkin

sham Stephens

Dawson Forsyth

Hall Banks Franklin Jackson Madison

Hart Elbert

10% or greater 3.5% to 9.9% Less than 3.5%

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

Upson

Harris

Talbot

Bibb

Wilkinson

Crawford

Twiggs

Johnson

Jenkins Emanuel

Screven

Muscogee

Taylor

Peach

Marion Chattahoo-

Macon

Houston Bleckley

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: 3.5%
19

Georgia Unemployment Insurance Claims by County

County

April Average Initial Weekly Average Claims Benefit Duration

County

April 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

248 ..... $187 ...... 8.3 107 ..... $166 ...... 7.5 106 ..... $184 ...... 8.0
22 ..... $178 ...... 8.4 238 ..... $176 .... 10.4 176 ..... $199 ...... 5.6 180 ..... $216 ...... 8.3 385 ..... $210 ...... 7.2 187 ..... $132 ...... 9.6
62 ..... $186 ...... 6.3 497 ..... $172 .... 10.8
47 ..... $165 ...... 7.6 75 ..... $206 .... 10.5 98 ..... $177 .... 10.2 44 ..... $188 ...... 8.3 154 ..... $164 .... 11.0 179 ..... $169 ...... 7.5 114 ..... $187 .... 10.3 128 ..... $156 ...... 7.8 58 ..... $181 .... 10.1 26 ..... $177 .... 10.5 907 ..... $191 ...... 8.6 432 ..... $222 ...... 6.1 30 ..... $187 ...... 7.4 808 ..... $186 .... 10.6 17 ..... $187 .... 11.6 625 ..... $207 ...... 7.7 367 ..... $222 ...... 8.2 393 ..... $193 ...... 8.7 32 ..... $177 ...... 7.5 898 ..... $208 .... 10.3 35 ..... $198 .... 12.7 1487 ..... $228 .... 11.3 502 ..... $179 ...... 7.3 769 ..... $157 ...... 7.7 150 ..... $192 ...... 9.6 79 ..... $176 ...... 7.6 579 ..... $209 ...... 7.8 78 ..... $197 ...... 8.5 160 ..... $161 ...... 8.5 138 ..... $230 ...... 4.2 68 ..... $213 ...... 7.8 143 ..... $167 ...... 7.3 2274 ..... $217 .... 10.6 157 ..... $181 ...... 8.7 103 ..... $150 ...... 9.6 671 ..... $165 .... 11.5 224 ..... $218 .... 10.7 88 ..... $159 ...... 8.1 13 ..... $205 ...... 6.3 107 ..... $210 ...... 8.6 205 ..... $173 ...... 7.0 140 ..... $158 ...... 9.3

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

22 ..... $175 ...... 9.8 181 ..... $175 ...... 5.7 224 ..... $223 ...... 9.7 638 ..... $205 ...... 6.7 124 ..... $233 ...... 9.5 233 ..... $197 ...... 6.5 2680 ..... $210 .... 11.2 105 ..... $198 ...... 5.6
20 ..... $162 ...... 6.7 178 ..... $182 .... 11.3 459 ..... $215 ...... 6.4 324 ..... $184 ...... 7.5
81 ..... $169 ...... 7.1 1417 ..... $229 ...... 9.9
697 ..... $274 ...... 5.7 823 ..... $188 ...... 5.8
81 ..... $210 ...... 9.3 172 ..... $153 ...... 9.5 158 ..... $201 ...... 8.5 645 ..... $199 ...... 5.3 113 ..... $178 ...... 7.1 329 ..... $203 ...... 9.7 225 ..... $212 ...... 9.9
58 ..... $190 ...... 8.1 262 ..... $155 ...... 6.9
44 ..... $208 ...... 7.8 242 ..... $190 ...... 5.6 213 ..... $195 ...... 9.9
42 ..... $153 ...... 9.1 43 ..... $158 ...... 9.8 80 ..... $172 .... 11.2 350 ..... $193 ...... 7.8 52 ..... $177 ...... 8.1 186 ..... $178 ...... 7.3 141 ..... $151 ...... 9.0 119 ..... $200 .... 11.6 82 ..... $180 ...... 6.9 17 ..... $199 .... 14.8 454 ..... $185 .... 10.2 259 ..... $186 ...... 5.8 157 ..... $218 ...... 6.3 26 ..... $171 .... 14.7 107 ..... $177 ...... 8.9 208 ..... $152 ...... 7.5 32 ..... $196 ...... 7.0 455 ..... $188 ...... 7.9 38 ..... $179 ...... 5.1 157 ..... $177 .... 10.6 173 ..... $156 ...... 9.6 77 ..... $183 ...... 9.0 80 ..... $187 ...... 9.1 444 ..... $192 ...... 4.8 874 ...... $211 ...... 9.4

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

County

April Average Initial Weekly Average Claims Benefit Duration

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

337 ..... $178 ...... 8.8 66 ..... $202 ...... 8.1
127 ..... $208 ...... 7.0 177 ..... $170 ...... 9.8
62 ..... $221 ...... 8.7 87 ..... $168 ...... 7.1 73 ..... $209 ...... 8.5 153 ..... $190 ...... 7.8 384 ..... $192 ...... 5.6 47 ..... $200 ...... 8.6 93 ..... $181 ...... 7.4
1 ..... $173 .... 13.4 106 ..... $264 ...... 4.5 203 ..... $174 ...... 9.0 670 ..... $157 ...... 9.8 209 ..... $174 .... 10.9
16 ..... $216 ...... 9.2 104 ..... $145 ...... 8.1
38 ..... $187 ...... 8.8 832 ..... $166 ...... 8.4 388 ..... $193 ...... 5.8
11 ..... $189 ...... 8.7 145 ..... $186 ...... 8.6 152 ..... $152 .... 11.6
20 ..... $181 ...... 5.2 64 ..... $192 .... 14.6 56 ..... $153 ...... 7.9 137 ..... $151 ...... 8.4 122 ..... $153 ...... 8.5 203 ..... $152 ...... 9.5 182 ..... $165 ...... 8.4 212 ..... $157 .... 11.9 36 ..... $175 ...... 8.8 40 ..... $153 .... 10.3 749 ..... $172 ...... 6.5 161 ..... $193 ...... 8.1 34 ..... $137 .... 10.7 97 ..... $197 ...... 8.2 583 ..... $164 ...... 6.0 1053 ..... $179 ...... 5.5 214 ..... $213 ...... 8.2 210 ..... $201 ...... 9.0 96 ..... $161 ...... 7.1 108 ..... $164 .... 10.6 171 ..... $150 ...... 9.1
4 ..... $185 ...... 8.9 59 ..... $194 ...... 8.0 226 ..... $174 ...... 7.0 820 ..... $189 ...... 5.2 40 ..... $202 ...... 7.0 264 ..... $172 ...... 6.2 55 ..... $189 .... 11.2 137 ..... $184 ...... 8.8

Unemployment Insurance Statistics

Weeks 10.0

Average duration of benefits
Last 12 months

9.5

9.4 9.3 9.2

9.1 9.1 9.0

9.0

8.8

8.7

8.5

8.5 8.4 8.5 8.5

8.0

7.5

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

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

Initial claims up 103.4 percent over the year...

Unemployment insurance initial claims were up 11.8 percent from March to April, increasing from 41,771 to 46,686. Over the year, new claims rose 23,730, which was more than the actual initial claims total for April 2000 of 22,956, resulting in a growth of 103.4 percent. It is worth noting that April 2000's figure was the second lowest total for initial claims filings during the month of April in 27 years (22,409 new claims were filed during April 1997). Still, the high over-the-year increase indicates that Georgia's economy continues to slow. For each of the four weeks in April (April 7 through April 28), unemployment insurance initial claims experienced upturns of 97.9 percent, 53.1 percent, 101.9 percent and 112.8 percent, respectively, when compared to the same week one year ago.
Once again, benefits paid, along with weeks paid, showed marginal change over the month. Benefits paid totaled $38,644,784 during April, climbing 2.7 percent, while the total number of weeks paid, 176,363 for the month, edged up 1.8 percent. Benefits paid jumped 84.8 percent over the year, with extreme increases occurring in the manufacturing industry. In particular, textiles manufacturing grew from $631,262 paid out in benefits during April 2000 to $2,178,559 paid out this April, a sharp advance of 245.1 percent. Transportation equipment manufacturing also escalated over the year, from a payout of $345,762 last April to this month's payout of $739,900, a rise of 127.1 percent. Other industries also experienced high over-theyear growth in benefit payouts, including retail trade (84.7%), transportation, communications & utilities (74.5%) and services (72.8%). The total number of weeks paid advanced 75.1 percent over the year, with the most prominent increases occurring in textiles manufacturing (216.9%), transportation equipment manufacturing (122.0%), business services (84.3%) and retail trade (72.1%).
First payments, 18,808 in April, climbed 13.2 percent over the month and surged upward 106.3 percent from last

April's figure of 9,115. Final payments (benefit exhaustions) were up 11.4 percent over the month, totaling 4,063 in April. This figure represents a jump of 41.2 percent over the year. The total number of beneficiaries, 65,399 during April, rose 6.3 percent over the month while ascending 88.6 percent from April 2000's figure of 34,682. The average weekly benefit amount, $219.12 for the month, rose eight-tenths of a percentage point over the month and 5.5 percent over the year. The average duration of benefits held at 8.5 weeks in April, compared to last April's average duration of 9.4 weeks.
In March, the trust fund balance decreased $37,229,717 from February, which was the largest over-the-month decline in the trust fund since January 1992. April's fund balance of $1,772,248,219 represents a drop slightly more significant than last month, diminishing $37,539,867 (2.1%). This month's over-the-year downturn in the trust fund balance is also much more significant than March's over-the-year reduction of over $99 million, falling this month $150,994,848 (7.9%) from April 2000's balance of $1,923,243,067.

Key Trends

April 2001

April 2000

Initial claims filed ............................... 46,686 ................... 22,956

Persons receiving benefits ................ 65,399 ................... 34,682

Average weekly benefit amount ....... $219.12 ................. $207.67

Benefits paid ............................ $38,644,784 .......... $20,917,221

Employer taxes received* .......... $2,705,384 ............ $5,306,063

Trust fund balance .............. $1,772,248,219 ..... $1,923,243,067

*Minus refunds to employers

21

GEORGIA

E c o n o m i c Georgia Economic I n d i c a t o r s Indicators

A Monthly Report of Georgia State Labor Market and Economic Trends

April 2001

Volume 7, Issue 2

Monthly updates of: The Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Georgia's Index of Economic Indicators

- Leading Index

- Coincident Index

Seasonally Adjusted Economic Indicators

- Nonagricultural Employment

Georgia Department of Labor
Michael L. Thurmond Commissioner

- Retail Employment - Manufacturing Employment

- Manufacturing Workweek

- Weekly Manufacturing Earnings

Manufacturing Employment

620

1999-2000

2000-2001

608

596

585

573

561

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

J

F

New Motor Vehicle Sales

70

1999-2000

2000-2001

- Deflated Manufacturing Earnings - Nonagricultural Job Openings Unfilled - Initial Unemployment Claims - Continued Unemployment Claims - Unemployment Rate - Insured Unemployment Rate - New Motor Vehicle Sales - Residential Construction (building permits)

61

- Nonresidential Construction (dollar value)

52

- Deflated Nonresidential Construction

44

- New Business Corporations

35

- Total State Revenues

27

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

J

F

- Deflated Total State Revenues

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