Dimensions: measuring Georgia's workforce, Vol. 27, no. 5 (May 2001)

May 2001 Data
Highlights
Has NA.TA been nasty or nice for Georgia's economy? .............. page 2
Some numbers that may surprise you...
Unemployment rate declines slightly..................... page 10
Georgia's unemployment rate was little changed in May, dropping by only one-tenth percentage point to 3.5 percent from April's revised rate of 3.6 percent
With respective unemployment rates of 3.5 percent, the lowest in the Southeast, Georgia and Tennessee were the victors in May.
Spotlight: Service Delivery Region .ive ........................Page 12
Prosperity is alive and well in the hills of Northeast Georgia.
New Developments .................Page 18
52,185 initial claims highest total for May since 1982. ....... page 21
New claims for unemployment insurance rise 108.6 percent over the year.
WI&A Customer Satisfaction Team .................. page 23

Volume XXVII, Number 5
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

Meager job growth in May

Georgia's payroll employment edged up by 0.3 percent in May due to weak job growth in several key industries and continued contraction in manufacturing. Georgia gained a meager 11,000 jobs this month compared to a monthly average of 29,700 since May 1995. Manufacturing employment fell sharply again this month and there were continued losses in wholesale trade and transportation, communications and public utilities. These losses were mostly offset by modest employment gains in other industries, including services, retail trade and construction.
Construction, normally a job growth leader in May, added only 900 jobs, two-thirds of which were gained in general building contractors. The over-the-month gain of 900 construction jobs stands in stark contrast to the average May job growth over the past six years of 3,100. At the same time, it is consistent with economic forecasts suggesting that Georgia's construction industry would be significantly affected by an economic slowdown. Some of the state's leading economists have predicted declines in housing permits, lessened demand for new office space, and a marked decrease in speculative building in 2001. Indeed, Dr. Jeffrey Humphries, of the University of Georgia, foresees a 5.6 percent decline in construction employment statewide over the year. Although construction employment reflects a growth rate of 0.4 percent so far this calendar year, seasonally adjusted employment reveals a 1.3 percent contraction in 2001 or a loss of roughly 2,700 jobs, predominantly in the Atlanta metro area.
Manufacturing employment fell by a thousand jobs in May and has dropped by 14,600 since last July.
www.selig.uga.edu
2

Thousands 40
35
30 23.1
25
20
15
10
5
0 95

May job growth in Georgia
(1995 - 2001)

33.8

32.5

32.4

29.9

26.9

96

97

98

99

00

11.0 01

May job growth in the construction industry

Thousands

(1995 - 2001)

4.9 5

3.9 4
2.8 3
2.3
2

3.1 1.9

0.9 1

0

95

96

97

98

99

00

01

This month's loss was split evenly between durable and nondurable goods. Augusta was the only metro area in Georgia to gain manufacturing jobs during the past nine months with an increase of 200 workers. The largest percent declines in manufacturing employment occurred in Columbus (-6.0%), Savannah (-5.5%) and Athens (-5.4%).
Quite often when analysts lament the recent decline in manufacturing jobs reference is made to the decision by many employers to relocate plants overseas where labor is cheaper. Some speculate that the passage of NAFTA in 1993 resulted in what Ross Perot called a "giant sucking sound" whereby these "maquiladora" factories move south of the border and employ thousands of Mexican workers in jobs that supposedly would have gone to Americans. Yet NAFTA has been modestly beneficial for the U.S. and Georgia economies, even though Mexico's economy is relatively small compared to the American economy.
Although Mexico's manufacturing payrolls have expanded by 46 percent since 1993, it is clear today that the "giant sucking sound" predicted by Ross

Dimensions - Measuring Georgias Workforce

Georgia 610 600 590 580 570 560 550 540 530
93

Manufacturing employment since NAFTA
(in thousands)

Ge orgi a

Me x i co

94

95

96

97

98

99

Mexico 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0

Perot has not been heard, at least not in Georgia. Since the passage of NAFTA in 1993, manufacturing employment in Georgia has actually grown by 5.2 percent, or 29,100 jobs. Compare that growth to the prior eight years in which Georgia's manufacturing payrolls only grew 1 percent, or roughly 1,100 jobs. Georgia's real gross state product has expanded by 60 percent and civilian employment has grown by more than 700,000. The core inflation rate has remained subdued, thanks partly to the price competition of imports. Finally, Georgia's exports to Mexico have nearly tripled since 1993. At this time the job "losses" that critics of free trade blame on NAFTA seem mostly unfounded, however there may be a delayed effect that we are just now beginning to see.
The manufacturing workweek for production or nonsupervisory workers jumped up 1.1 hours in May to 39.9 hours. Over the year, the factory workweek in Georgia and the U.S. have both fallen 0.8 hours. Average hourly earnings of manufacturing production workers dropped by 6 cents in May to $13.05, but increased 1.6 percent from a year ago. Over the month, average weekly earnings in manufacturing increased 2.4 percent to $520.70, but are down 0.4 percent since last May.
In the service-producing sector, employment in transportation, communications and public utilities fell slightly in May with large gains in telephone communications mostly offsetting a loss of 1,000 jobs in trucking and warehousing. Growth in this division has been sluggish so far this year, with monthly job increases averaging 100, compared with about 700 in 2000.

insurance, and was little changed in finance. Over the year the division has lost 400 jobs with growth in insurance (+2,100) offsetting large declines in commercial and mortgage banks and brokerages (-3,400).
Services employment rose by 6,600 in May, following a gain of 3,900 in April. Amusement and recreational services accounted for approximately one-third of the division's growth this month, and membership organizations, such as the YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs, accounted for another third of the increase. The remaining third came from a number of smaller gains in other miscellaneous services, such as agricultural and repair services. These gains were slightly undercut by a loss of 1,200 jobs in miscellaneous business services, tightening in health services (-600) and continued contraction in the personnel supply industry (-700).
Local government hiring for summer youth programs boosted local government employment slightly, but this gain was offset by losses in state education and other federal government. Total government employment was down 200 over the month. Over the year, local and state government dominate job growth, adding 13,700 and 12,000 workers respectively. Federal government, on the other hand, has scaled back considerably, shedding 16,200 workers over the year.

Employment in the trade division increased by 4,600 over the month and 20,500 annually. Wholesale trade was down for the first time this year posting a loss of 1,100 jobs, mostly in the distribution of durable goods. In the nation, wholesale trade employment has been on a downward trend all year with particularly steep declines in both April and May. In retail trade during May, only food stores and automotive dealerships lost employment. As usual, the largest increase was located in eating and drinking establishments (+5,700).
Employment in finance, insurance and real estate rose by 200 in May. Following losses in the third quarter of 2000, this industry has added 1,000 jobs since October. Over the month, employment rose slightly in real estate and

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 MAY 2001 APR 2001 MAY 2000

Change in Jobs from APR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from MAY 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

4,055.6 787.3 7.8 207.6 47.6 28.5 131.5 571.9 250.1 40.2 12.1 21.7 13.4 24.6 40.8 31.9 47.3 18.1 321.8 71.4 39.0 98.1 44.2 23.1 30.8 44.1 16.5 22.7 31.6
3,268.3 271.8 161.5 86.0 24.3
1,001.7 266.6 735.1 92.8 102.6 269.3 206.8 92.2 73.0 41.6
1,166.0 47.2
321.6 128.1
78.4 38.1 255.3 105.8 65.2 55.5 92.4 290.7 622.0 94.2 27.7 160.4 73.7 367.4 225.1

4,044.6 787.3 7.7 206.7 47.0 28.3 131.4 572.9 250.6 40.3 12.1 21.6 13.5 24.6 41.1 32.0 47.3 18.1 322.3 71.3 39.2 99.1 44.2 22.9 30.8 43.9 16.4 22.7 31.6
3,257.3 272.0 162.3 85.5 24.2 997.1 267.7 729.4 92.7 103.4 263.6 206.6 92.3 72.8 41.5
1,159.4 47.2
321.5 128.8
77.5 36.0 255.9 105.9 65.0 55.5 92.5 285.8 622.2 94.5 27.7 160.5 74.4 367.2 225.8

3,993.9 801.3 7.8 204.8 46.7 28.8 129.3 588.7 258.3 42.7 12.1 21.5 13.9 25.5 41.3 34.1 49.4 17.8 330.4 72.2 39.3 102.5 45.0 24.4 31.2 44.6 16.6 22.6 32.9
3,192.6 265.7 161.4 80.3 24.0 981.2 261.1 720.1 89.9 106.7 259.9 207.2 95.2 70.9 41.1
1,126.0 48.3
333.2 141.4
77.8 35.4 248.8 103.6 55.7 55.8 89.3 259.5 612.5 110.4 27.9 148.4 63.0 353.7 217.6

+11.0 +.0 +.1 +.9 +.6 +.2 +.1 -1.0 -.5 -.1 +.0 +.1 -.1 +.0 -.3 -.1 +.0 +.0 -.5 +.1 -.2 -1.0 +.0 +.2 +.0 +.2 +.1 +.0 +.0
+11.0 -.2 -.8 +.5 +.1
+4.6 -1.1 +5.7 +.1
-.8 +5.7
+.2 -.1 +.2 +.1 +6.6 +.0 +.1 -.7 +.9 +2.1 -.6 -.1 +.2 +.0 -.1 +4.9 -.2 -.3 +.0 -.1 -.7 +.2 -.7

+0.3 +0.0 +1.3 +0.4 +1.3 +0.7 +0.1 -0.2 -0.2 -0.2 +0.0 +0.5 -0.7 +0.0 -0.7 -0.3 +0.0 +0.0 -0.2 +0.1 -0.5 -1.0 +0.0 +0.9 +0.0 +0.5 +0.6 +0.0 +0.0 +0.3 -0.1 -0.5 +0.6 +0.4 +0.5 -0.4 +0.8 +0.1 -0.8 +2.2 +0.1 -0.1 +0.3 +0.2 +0.6 +0.0 +0.0 -0.5 +1.2 +5.8 -0.2 -0.1 +0.3 +0.0 -0.1 +1.7 +0.0 -0.3 +0.0 -0.1 -0.9 +0.1 -0.3

+61.7 +1.5 -14.0 -1.7
+.0 +0.0 +2.8 +1.4
+.9 +1.9 -.3 -1.0 +2.2 +1.7 -16.8 -2.9 -8.2 -3.2 -2.5 -5.9 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +0.9 -.5 -3.6 -.9 -3.5 -.5 -1.2 -2.2 -6.5 -2.1 -4.3 +.3 +1.7 -8.6 -2.6 -.8 -1.1 -.3 -0.8 -4.4 -4.3 -.8 -1.8 -1.3 -5.3 -.4 -1.3 -.5 -1.1 -.1 -0.6 +.1 +0.4 -1.3 -4.0 +75.7 +2.4 +6.1 +2.3 +.1 +0.1 +5.7 +7.1 +.3 +1.3 +20.5 +2.1 +5.5 +2.1 +15.0 +2.1 +2.9 +3.2 -4.1 -3.8 +9.4 +3.6 -.4 -0.2 -3.0 -3.2 +2.1 +3.0 +.5 +1.2 +40.0 +3.6 -1.1 -2.3 -11.6 -3.5 -13.3 -9.4 +.6 +0.8 +2.7 +7.6 +6.5 +2.6 +2.2 +2.1 +9.5 +17.1 -.3 -0.5 +3.1 +3.5 +31.2 +12.0 +9.5 +1.6 -16.2 -14.7 -.2 -0.7 +12.0 +8.1 +10.7 +17.0 +13.7 +3.9 +7.5 +3.4

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

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 MAY 2001 APR 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

$520.70 $508.67 $522.59

39.9

38.8

40.7 $13.05 $13.11 $12.84

Durable goods

$563.67 $553.41 $555.15

39.5

39.0

40.7 $14.27 $14.19 $13.64

Lumber and wood products

$466.40 $452.39 $436.80

40.0

38.6

39.0 $11.66 $11.72 $11.20

Furniture and fixtures

$404.92 $414.18 $386.23

38.2

39.0

38.7 $10.60 $10.62 $9.98

Stone, clay and glass products

$660.24 $628.79 $644.01

46.3

44.5

43.9 $14.26 $14.13 $14.67

Primary metal industries

$584.26 $574.24 $582.98

40.8

40.9

43.8 $14.32 $14.04 $13.31

Fabricated metal products

$558.49 $515.75 $479.23

43.7

40.9

41.6 $12.78 $12.61 $11.52

Industrial machinery

$479.17 $507.78 $520.41

37.7

40.3

41.5 $12.71 $12.60 $12.54

Electric and electronic equipment

$428.86 $423.07 $453.70

32.1

31.2

36.5 $13.36 $13.56 $12.43

Transportation equipment

$894.21 $871.83 $865.30

41.0

40.4

43.2 $21.81 $21.58 $20.03

Other durable goods

$447.22 $432.22 $461.30

36.3

34.8

38.7 $12.32 $12.42 $11.92

Nondurable goods

$488.03 $474.01 $497.35

40.2

38.6

40.7 $12.14 $12.28 $12.22

Food and kindred products

$495.14 $474.42 $504.29

41.4

39.7

42.2 $11.96 $11.95 $11.95

Meat products

$394.94 $360.41 $390.70

40.8

37.7

41.3

$9.68 $9.56 $9.46

Textile mill products

$427.66 $417.19 $452.23

41.2

38.7

41.0 $10.38 $10.78 $11.03

Carpets and rugs

$378.80 $364.59 $451.27

40.0

35.5

40.4

$9.47 $10.27 $11.17

Apparel and other finished textiles

$266.83 $249.86 $296.84

32.5

31.0

36.2

$8.21 $8.06 $8.20

Paper and allied products

$658.93 $642.61 $677.45

40.7

39.4

42.5 $16.19 $16.31 $15.94

Printing and publishing

$562.87 $563.99 $538.69

37.4

37.7

37.1 $15.05 $14.96 $14.52

Commerical printing

$608.78 $641.07 $617.34

39.2

41.2

41.6 $15.53 $15.56 $14.84

Chemicals and allied products

$645.82 $619.51 $687.14

42.6

41.0

42.6 $15.16 $15.11 $16.13

Other nondurable goods

$497.24 $471.03 $469.54

40.1

38.8

40.2 $12.40 $12.14 $11.68

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

41.5

41.2 41.1 41.2

41.3 41.1

40.9

41.0

40.7

40.6

40.5

40.0

39.9

40.0

39.7

39.5

39.0

38.8

38.5

38.0

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

2000

2001

5

Atlanta Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary Revised Revised MAY 2001 APR 2001 MAY 2000

Change in Jobs from APR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from MAY 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

2,234.0 338.5 1.9 117.9 27.1 14.4 76.4 218.7 111.2 9.5 9.6 8.2 11.6 16.0 17.0 22.0 17.3 107.5 24.6 9.7 7.4 12.5 28.0 9.8 10.8 14.5
1,895.5 196.6 117.2 79.4 593.4 185.0 130.8 54.2 408.4 47.9 53.8 153.6 51.0 139.5 59.2 52.0 28.3 691.6 28.0 224.3 83.9 64.5 32.2 128.8 56.7 31.1 67.8 179.4 274.4 46.0 56.2 172.2

2,226.5 337.6 1.7 117.5 26.6 14.0 76.9 218.4 111.3 9.5 9.5 8.2 11.6 16.1 17.0 22.1 17.3 107.1 24.5 9.8 7.0 12.4 28.0 9.8 10.8 14.6
1,888.9 196.9 118.0 78.9 589.4 185.6 131.9 53.7 403.8 47.1 54.8 150.1 49.4 140.1 59.7 51.9 28.5 688.6 28.0 225.0 85.0 63.8 31.0 128.9 56.3 31.1 67.7 176.9 273.9 46.0 55.7 172.2

2,198.5 342.4 1.8 119.5 26.8 15.2 77.5 221.1 110.9 8.8 9.6 7.8 11.8 16.5 18.0 21.3 17.1 110.2 24.9 10.4 7.8 12.8 28.4 10.2 10.7 15.2
1,856.1 190.8 116.1 74.7 570.6 177.4 125.5 51.9 393.2 45.1 56.1 143.6 46.8 142.0 62.8 50.9 28.3 681.3 28.2 233.5 92.0 65.0 29.7 125.3 54.1 30.9 66.2 167.5 271.4 53.6 53.3 164.5

+7.5 +0.3 +.9 +0.3 +.2 +11.8 +.4 +0.3 +.5 +1.9 +.4 +2.9 -.5 -0.7 +.3 +0.1 -.1 -0.1 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +1.1 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.6 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.5 +.0 +0.0 +.4 +0.4 +.1 +0.4 -.1 -1.0 +.4 +5.7 +.1 +0.8 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.7
+6.6 +0.3 -.3 -0.2 -.8 -0.7 +.5 +0.6
+4.0 +0.7 -.6 -0.3
-1.1 -0.8 +.5 +0.9 +4.6 +1.1 +.8 +1.7 -1.0 -1.8 +3.5 +2.3 +1.6 +3.2 -.6 -0.4 -.5 -0.8 +.1 +0.2 -.2 -0.7 +3.0 +0.4 +.0 +0.0 -.7 -0.3 -1.1 -1.3 +.7 +1.1 +1.2 +3.9 -.1 -0.1 +.4 +0.7 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.1 +2.5 +1.4 +.5 +0.2 +.0 +0.0 +.5 +0.9 +.0 +0.0

+35.5 -3.9 +.1 -1.6 +.3 -.8 -1.1 -2.4 +.3 +.7 +.0 +.4 -.2 -.5 -1.0 +.7 +.2 -2.7 -.3 -.7 -.4 -.3 -.4 -.4 +.1 -.7
+39.4 +5.8 +1.1 +4.7
+22.8 +7.6 +5.3 +2.3
+15.2 +2.8 -2.3
+10.0 +4.2 -2.5 -3.6 +1.1 +.0
+10.3 -.2
-9.2 -8.1
-.5 +2.5 +3.5 +2.6
+.2 +1.6 +11.9 +3.0 -7.6 +2.9 +7.7

+1.6 -1.1 +5.6 -1.3 +1.1 -5.3 -1.4 -1.1 +0.3 +8.0 +0.0 +5.1 -1.7 -3.0 -5.6 +3.3 +1.2 -2.5 -1.2 -6.7 -5.1 -2.3 -1.4 -3.9 +0.9 -4.6 +2.1 +3.0 +0.9 +6.3 +4.0 +4.3 +4.2 +4.4 +3.9 +6.2 -4.1 +7.0 +9.0 -1.8 -5.7 +2.2 +0.0 +1.5 -0.7 -3.9 -8.8 -0.8 +8.4 +2.8 +4.8 +0.6 +2.4 +7.1 +1.1 -14.2 +5.4 +4.7

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
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 MAY 2001 APR 2001 MAY 2000

Change in Jobs from APR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from MAY 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

59.3

59.3

59.5

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -0.3

Goods producing industries

12.3

12.2

12.1

+.1 +0.8

+.2 +1.7

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

8.1

8.2

8.4

-.1 -1.2

-.3 -3.6

Durable goods

1.4

1.4

1.5

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -6.7

Nondurable goods

6.7

6.8

6.9

-.1 -1.5

-.2 -2.9

Food and kindred products

1.7

1.7

1.8

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -5.6

Textile mill products

.8

.9

.9

-.1 -11.1

-.1 -11.1

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

47.0

47.1

47.4

-.1 -0.2

-.4 -0.8

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

3.4

3.4

3.5

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -2.9

Wholesale and retail trade

13.6

13.8

13.7

-.2 -1.4

-.1 -0.7

Wholesale trade

2.9

3.0

2.9

-.1 -3.3

+.0 +0.0

Retail trade

10.7

10.8

10.8

-.1 -0.9

-.1 -0.9

Finance, insurance, and real estate

1.8

1.7

1.7

+.1 +5.9

+.1 +5.9

Services

16.4

16.2

16.1

+.2 +1.2

+.3 +1.9

Government

11.8

12.0

12.4

-.2 -1.7

-.6 -4.8

Federal

2.7

2.7

3.2

+.0 +0.0

-.5 -15.6

State and local

9.1

9.3

9.2

-.2 -2.2

-.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 MAY 2001 APR 2001 MAY 2000

Change in Jobs from APR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from MAY 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

74.5

74.9

74.0

-.4 -0.5

+.5 +0.7

Goods producing industries

14.8

14.7

14.8

+.1 +0.7

+.0 +0.0

Construction and mining

3.6

3.3

3.1

+.3 +9.1

+.5 +16.1

Manufacturing

11.2

11.4

11.7

-.2 -1.8

-.5 -4.3

Durable goods

5.6

5.6

5.7

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -1.8

Nondurable goods

5.6

5.8

6.0

-.2 -3.4

-.4 -6.7

Food and kindred products

3.0

3.1

3.1

-.1 -3.2

-.1 -3.2

Textiles and apparel

1.2

1.3

1.3

-.1 -7.7

-.1 -7.7

Other nondurable goods

1.4

1.4

1.6

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -12.5

Service producing industries

59.7

60.2

59.2

-.5 -0.8

+.5 +0.8

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

2.3

2.3

2.1

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +9.5

Wholesale and retail trade

17.5

17.5

17.3

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +1.2

Wholesale trade

3.0

3.0

2.8

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +7.1

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

17.8

17.6

17.5

+.2 +1.1

+.3 +1.7

Government

19.9

20.6

20.0

-.7 -3.4

-.1 -0.5

Federal

2.0

1.9

2.1

+.1 +5.3

-.1 -4.8

State and local

17.9

18.7

17.9

-.8 -4.3

+.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 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 MAY 2001 APR 2001 MAY 2000

Change in Jobs from APR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from MAY 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

206.0

205.5

204.2

+.5 +0.2

+1.8 +0.9

Goods producing industries

43.6

43.4

42.4

+.2 +0.5

+1.2 +2.8

Mining

.3

.3

.3

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Contract construction

13.6

13.5

12.8

+.1 +0.7

+.8 +6.3

Manufacturing

29.7

29.6

29.3

+.1 +0.3

+.4 +1.4

Durable goods

12.2

12.2

11.6

+.0 +0.0

+.6 +5.2

Lumber and wood products

1.4

1.4

1.2

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +16.7

Stone, clay, and glass products

2.4

2.4

2.6

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -7.7

Other durable goods

8.4

8.4

7.8

+.0 +0.0

+.6 +7.7

Nondurable goods

17.5

17.4

17.7

+.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

4.7

4.7

4.8

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -2.1

Apparel and other finished textiles

1.6

1.6

1.8

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -11.1

Printing and publishing

2.0

2.0

1.8

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +11.1

Other nondurable goods

6.8

6.8

6.9

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -1.4

Service producing industries

162.4

162.1

161.8

+.3 +0.2

+.6 +0.4

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

17.6

17.3

17.1

+.3 +1.7

+.5 +2.9

Wholesale and retail trade

44.0

44.4

43.5

-.4 -0.9

+.5 +1.1

Wholesale trade

4.7

4.7

4.6

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +2.2

Retail trade

39.3

39.7

38.9

-.4 -1.0

+.4 +1.0

Finance, insurance, and real estate

6.3

6.3

6.2

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +1.6

Services

52.2

51.9

52.2

+.3 +0.6

+.0 +0.0

Government

42.3

42.2

42.8

+.1 +0.2

-.5 -1.2

Federal

7.7

7.6

8.2

+.1 +1.3

-.5 -6.1

State and local

34.6

34.6

34.6

+.0 +0.0

+.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 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 MAY 2001 APR 2001 MAY 2000

Change in Jobs from APR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from MAY 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment Goods producing industries

122.2 25.5

121.6 25.4

122.3 26.7

+.6 +0.5 +.1 +0.4

-.1 -0.1 -1.2 -4.5

Construction and mining

5.6

5.5

5.5

+.1 +1.8

+.1 +1.8

Manufacturing

19.9

19.9

21.2

+.0 +0.0

-1.3 -6.1

Durable goods

8.6

8.6

9.0

+.0 +0.0

-.4 -4.4

Nondurable goods

11.3

11.3

12.2

+.0 +0.0

-.9 -7.4

Food and kindred products

2.6

2.6

3.2

+.0 +0.0

-.6 -18.8

Textile mill products

5.5

5.5

5.7

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -3.5

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

96.7

96.2

95.6

+.5 +0.5

+1.1 +1.2

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

4.8

4.8

4.5

+.0 +0.0

+.3 +6.7

Wholesale and retail trade

27.1

26.8

26.3

+.3 +1.1

+.8 +3.0

Wholesale trade

3.0

3.0

3.0

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Retail trade

24.1

23.8

23.3

+.3 +1.3

+.8 +3.4

Finance, insurance, and real estate

9.0

9.0

8.5

+.0 +0.0

+.5 +5.9

Services

34.2

34.0

34.7

+.2 +0.6

-.5 -1.4

Government

21.6

21.6

21.6

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Federal

5.7

5.7

6.3

+.0 +0.0

-.6 -9.5

State and local

15.9

15.9

15.3

+.0 +0.0

+.6 +3.9

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 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 MAY 2001 APR 2001 MAY 2000

Change in Jobs from APR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from MAY 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

152.1

152.0

152.5

+.1 +0.1

-.4 -0.3

Goods producing industries

26.0

25.8

26.4

+.2 +0.8

-.4 -1.5

Mining

.8

.8

.8

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Contract construction

6.5

6.5

6.5

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Manufacturing

18.7

18.5

19.1

+.2 +1.1

-.4 -2.1

Durable goods

9.2

9.1

9.5

+.1 +1.1

-.3 -3.2

Nondurable goods

9.5

9.4

9.6

+.1 +1.1

-.1 -1.0

Food and kindred products

2.3

2.2

2.3

+.1 +4.5

+.0 +0.0

Textile and apparel products

.9

.8

.9

+.1 +12.5

+.0 +0.0

Paper and allied products

1.5

1.5

1.5

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Other nondurable goods

4.8

4.9

4.9

-.1 -2.0

-.1 -2.0

Service producing industries

126.1

126.2

126.1

-.1 -0.1

+.0 +0.0

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

6.2

6.2

6.0

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +3.3

Wholesale and retail trade

35.7

35.5

35.4

+.2 +0.6

+.3 +0.8

Wholesale trade

5.3

5.2

4.9

+.1 +1.9

+.4 +8.2

Retail trade

30.4

30.3

30.5

+.1 +0.3

-.1 -0.3

Finance, insurance, and real estate

9.0

9.0

9.5

+.0 +0.0

-.5 -5.3

Services

41.8

42.1

41.7

-.3 -0.7

+.1 +0.2

Government

33.4

33.4

33.5

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -0.3

Federal

14.1

14.1

14.3

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -1.4

State and local

19.3

19.3

19.2

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +0.5

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 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 MAY 2001 APR 2001 MAY 2000

Change in Jobs from APR 2001
Net %

Change in Jobs from MAY 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

139.6 25.5 9.2 16.3 9.0 .8 5.8 2.4 7.3 1.4 3.2 1.5 .3 .9
114.1

138.7 25.5 9.1 16.4 9.0 .8 5.8 2.4 7.4 1.5 3.2 1.5 .3 .9
113.2

139.1 25.7 8.3 17.4 9.7 .9 6.4 2.4 7.7 1.4 3.4 1.5 .3 1.1
113.4

+.9 +0.6 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +1.1 -.1 -0.6 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -1.4 -.1 -6.7 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.9 +0.8

+.5 +0.4 -.2 -0.8 +.9 +10.8 -1.1 -6.3 -.7 -7.2 -.1 -11.1 -.6 -9.4 +.0 +0.0 -.4 -5.2 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -5.9 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -18.2 +.7 +0.6

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

9.6

9.7

9.5

-.1 -1.0

+.1 +1.1

Wholesale and retail trade

35.8

34.7

35.4

+1.1 +3.2

+.4 +1.1

Wholesale trade

5.4

5.4

5.7

+.0 +0.0

-.3 -5.3

Retail trade

30.4

29.3

29.7

+1.1 +3.8

+.7 +2.4

Finance, insurance, and real estate

4.6

4.7

4.6

-.1 -2.1

+.0 +0.0

Services

43.8

43.7

42.9

+.1 +0.2

+.9 +2.1

Government

20.3

20.4

21.0

-.1 -0.5

-.7 -3.3

Federal

2.7

2.7

3.4

+.0 +0.0

-.7 -20.6

State and local

17.6

17.7

17.6

-.1 -0.6

+.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 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

Unemployment rate declines slightly

Unemployment rates -- Georgia and U.S.
6.0%

Georgia's unemployment rate was little changed in May, dropping by merely onetenth percentage point to 3.5 percent from April's revised rate of 3.6 percent. With this year's April-to-May slight decline the state's jobless rate bucked a short-term trend which began in 1995. Prior to 2001, Georgia's unemployment rate had posted increases from April to May for the past six consecutive years. At 3.5 percent, the state's rate in May is the lowest jobless rate for that month since May of 1971 when the rate was lower by only one-tenth percentage point. One year ago, Georgia's rate was 3.7 percent.

5.0%

Georgia

U.S.

4.0%

3.0%

2.0%

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

2000

2001

The U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, was also down one-tenth of a percentage point over the month. Dropping to its lowest level this year, the nation's rate was 4.1 percent in May. When comparing Georgia to the nation as a whole, the state continued to maintain its favorable position this month. At one-half of a percentage point below the U.S. rate, Georgia's rate has prevailed below the nation's rate for the past seven months. One year earlier, the nation's rate was 3.9 percent.
Despite a marginal increase in the number of persons receiving unemployment insurance (UI) benefits during the reference week in May, the total number of unemployed persons was down slightly for the second month in May. At less than 150,000, the number of unemployed dropped by less than 1,500 or 0.9 percent over the month and less than 4,000 or 2.5 percent over the year. In spite of the slight overall monthly decline in the number of unemployed, there

were more new entrants in the labor force in May. New job seekers traditionally begin entering the labor market in May to seek summer employment. Larger numbers of new entrants and reentrants will enter the labor force in June and July.
Total civilian employment increased for the fourth consecutive month in May, its highest level for the year. Fueled by continued but slowing growth in nonagricultural employment, the state's total civilian employment level was up by nearly 28,000 or 0.7 percent over the month and slightly more than 53,000 (1.3 percent) over the year. Nonagricultural employment counts jobs, while total civilian employment counts employed individuals only once regardless of how many jobs a person may hold.
Area data
Athens, at 3.0 percent, and Albany, at 5.1 percent, were the only two of Georgia's seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas

Southeastern states and U.S. unemployment rates
Percent 8

(MSAs) to follow the state's lead and post over-the-month declines in their unemployment rates in May. Two metro areas, Augusta, at 4.1 percent, and Macon, at 3.5 percent, saw their rates increase from April to May. The remaining three areas, Atlanta, at 2.9 percent, Columbus, at 4.1 percent, and Savannah, at 3.0 percent, had rates which were essentially unchanged over the month. Despite the over-the-month decline, Albany registered the highest metro area rate in the state. Atlanta prevailed for the third straight month with the lowest rate and was one of four metro areas to post a jobless rate at or below the statewide rate in May. With the exception of Athens, all MSAs had declining over-the-year rates.
Similar to the state, 86 counties in Georgia had unemployment rates to decrease over the month in May. Increases were felt in 54 counties and the remaining 19 counties were essentially unchanged over the month. Lincoln County, at 12.1 percent, had the highest county rate in the state and was one of only three counties with double-digit jobless rates. Oconee and Dawson counties, both at 1.5 percent, had the lowest rate.

May

Apri l

7

6 5.0
5 4.3
4
3

3.8 3.8 3.5 3.6

4.1 4.1

5.2 4.4

5.0 4.5

4.4 3.7

3.9 3.5

4.1 4.2

2

1

0

AL

FL

GA

KY

MS

NC

SC

TN

US

With respective unemployment rates of 3.5 percent, the lowest in the Southeast, Georgia and Tennessee were the victors in May. Georgia also continued its reign over the past few months by posting the lowest rate in the region for the fifth time in six months. Georgia and Tennessee were also two of only three states to post jobless rates below the not seasonally adjusted U.S. rate of 4.1 percent in May. Following last month's marked improvement, Mississippi, at 5.2 percent, increased eight-tenths percentage point over the month to recapture the top position in the region with the highest unemployment rate in May.

10

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 MAY 2001
4,228,110 4,079,015
149,095 3.5

Revised APR 2001
4,201,603 4,051,135
150,468 3.6

Revised MAY 2000
4,178,859 4,025,882
152,977 3.7

Change From

Revised

Revised

APR 2001

MAY 2000

26,507 27,880 -1,373

49,251 53,133 -3,882

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

56,118 53,266
2,852 5.1

55,933 52,947
2,986 5.3

56,525 53,280
3,245 5.7

185 319 -134

-407 -14
-393

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

75,019 72,765
2,254 3.0

74,978 72,643
2,335 3.1

73,884 72,044
1,840 2.5

41

1,135

122

721

-81

414

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

2,286,712 2,219,285
67,427 2.9

2,274,906 2,207,861
67,045 2.9

2,266,290 2,198,209
68,081 3.0

11,806 11,424
382

20,422 21,076
-654

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

210,953 202,339
8,614 4.1

208,787 201,107
7,680 3.7

209,569 199,862
9,707 4.6

2,166 1,232
934

1,384 2,477 -1,093

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

126,581 121,400
5,181 4.1

125,856 120,655
5,201 4.1

126,967 121,452
5,515 4.3

725

-386

745

-52

-20

-334

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

151,826 146,524
5,302 3.5

151,324 146,253
5,071 3.4

153,543 147,378
6,165 4.0

502

-1,717

271

-854

231

-863

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

136,579 132,542
4,037 3.0

135,354 131,325
4,029 3.0

137,606 132,822
4,784 3.5

1,225 1,217
8

-1,027 -280 -747

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

Area

Employment Status

MAY 2001

APR 2001

MAY 2000

Change From

APR 2001

MAY 2000

United States
(Seasonally adjusted)

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

141,272,000 135,103,000
6,169,000 4.4

141,756,000 135,354,000
6,402,000 4.5

140,573,000 134,843,000
5,730,000 4.1

-484,000 -251,000 -233,000

699,000 260,000 439,000

United States
(Not Seasonally adjusted)

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed

141,048,000 135,202,000
5,846,000

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

140,396,000 134,961,000
5,435,000

-25,000 80,000 -105,000

652,000 241,000 411,000

Rate

4.1

4.2

3.9

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 .ive

Wedged in between I-85 on its northern border and I-20 across its southern boundary, Service Delivery Region Five is a thriving area of small towns set amidst the rolling hills of northeast Georgia. Generally lying to the east of Atlanta, the area stretches from Jackson County eastward to the South Carolina border and southward as far as Jasper and Greene Counties. Only on its western fringe does it abut the sprawling Atlanta metropolitan area, thus escaping many of the growing pains afflicting that area. Nearly half a million Georgians go about their business in the region, with many finding employment among the area's manufacturing facilities while others trek to Atlanta or Athens to ply their various trades. Developers and officials in SDR 5 have done an exemplary job of keeping the economy rolling, successfully bucking several state and national trends in the process. While most areas of the state and nation have seen an erosion in their base of manufacturing jobs, SDR 5 has actually posted a small increase in such jobs over the past few years. Service sector employment has also grown, but at a slower rate than in most parts of America. Dotted by numerous lakes and rivers, the region has become a popular playground

for many Georgians and an attractive retirement destination for our senior citizens. Hats off to the region's leaders for keeping their territory in the forefront of growth and prosperity.
The total population of the area increased a phenomenal 19.3 percent between 1995 and 2000, totaling roughly 438,300 people in the recently released Census Bureau figures. This was a full six percentage points faster than the statewide growth rate and far better than most areas of the Peach State. Every one of the dozen counties managed population increases, with Clarke, Newton and Walton posting nearly identical gains of about 11,500 each. Even the smaller counties showed gains of at least 1,500 people over the 1995-2000 time frame. The area's labor force also grew at a higher rate (17.4%) than did the state (15.4%), most likely as a direct result of SDR Five's population gains.
As is true for most areas across the state and nation, SDR Five has been steadily moving away from a goods producing economic base towards one that is more service oriented. However, the shift has not been as dramatic in this area of the

Peach State and has been somewhat countermanded by significant gains in construction employment. Another 3,000 jobs have been added in the public sector, mostly in the field of public education which includes the rapidly growing University of Georgia. Instead of a direct shift from manufacturing to services, SDR Five has witnessed a much more diverse dispersion of jobs lost versus jobs gained. The percentage of goods-producing jobs compared to all jobs has declined only slightly since 1997, mainly due to the gains in construction and manufacturing. Some manufacturing industries have been hit by closures and layoffs in recent years, but the others have managed to take up the slack . The jobless rate for citizens of the region has remained consistently about a half percentage point below the statewide figure over the past five years, checking in at 3.2 percent for calendar year 2000. This is quite a remarkable feat for an area where one out of four jobs are in the goods producing sector. Spectacular economic gains may not be on the horizon for SDR Five, but barring a significant slowdown in the national economy, there appears to be no reason to expect anything but continued growth and prosperity.

Walton County Courthouse, Monroe, Georgia
12

Spotlight: Service Delivery Region .ive

SDR #5
Jackson Madison Elbert Barrow C larke
O cone e O gleth orpe Wa lto n Newton M o rgan G reene
Jasper
Career Centers
Athens .................. (706) 583-2550 Covington ............ (770) 784-2455 Elberton ............... (706) 213-2028 Monroe .................. (770) 207-4111

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

Population/labor force growth - SDR 5

P opulation

Labor Force

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

Unemployment rates - Georgia vs SDR 5

5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0
1995

1996

1997

1998

SDR 5

Georgia

1999

2000

Employment 40,000
35,000

Key industry employment 1997 vs 2000
1997 2000

30,000

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0 Construction Manufacturing

Trade

Services

All Other

Industry mix 2000

Agriculture 2%

Construction 5%

Government 22%
Services 18%

TP U 3%

F IRE 4%

Manufacturing 23%

Trade 23%

Mining 0%

13

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

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

County
Georgia

Preliminary May 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

4,228,110 4,079,015 149,095

3.5

Revised April 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

4,201,603 4,051,135 150,468 3.6

Appling Atkinson Bacon Baker Baldwin

8,322 7,697 625 7.5

3,562 3,308 254 7.1

4,594 4,258 336 7.3

1,740 1,661

79 4.5

18,582 18,004 578 3.1

8,251 3,595 4,540 1,654 18,584

7,588 3,226 4,192 1,574 17,934

663 8.0 369 10.3 348 7.7
80 4.8 650 3.5

Banks Barrow Bartow Ben Hill Berrien

6,819 6,469 350 5.1 22,138 21,269 869 3.9 41,397 39,728 1,669 4.0
9,556 9,173 383 4.0 6,760 6,461 299 4.4

6,734 22,025 41,316
9,447 6,610

6,371 21,159 39,523
9,029 6,289

363 5.4 866 3.9 1,793 4.3 418 4.4 321 4.9

Bibb Bleckley Brantley Brooks Bryan

72,512 69,721 2,791 3.8 6,219 5,830 389 6.3 6,527 6,181 346 5.3 8,036 7,605 431 5.4 11,269 10,993 276 2.4

72,395 69,592 2,803 3.9

5,892 5,764

128 2.2

6,448 6,135

313 4.9

7,855 7,531

324 4.1

11,131 10,892

239 2.1

Bulloch Burke Butts Calhoun Camden

27,818 26,782 1,036 3.7 9,332 8,581 751 8.0 9,277 8,821 456 4.9 2,567 2,439 128 5.0
17,275 16,767 508 2.9

27,200 9,042 9,254 2,495
17,232

26,556 8,461 8,769 2,350
16,669

644 2.4 581 6.4 485 5.2 145 5.8 563 3.3

Candler

4,065 3,870 195 4.8

Carroll

46,663 44,129 2,534 5.4

Catoosa

27,047 26,471 576 2.1

Charlton

3,908 3,764 144 3.7

Chatham 106,635 103,399 3,236 3.0

3,908 3,772

136 3.5

46,022 43,902 2,120 4.6

27,056 26,523

533 2.0

3,878 3,742

136 3.5

105,778 102,450 3,328 3.1

Chattahoochee 2,396 2,273 123 5.1

Chattooga 12,323 11,739 584 4.7

Cherokee

83,909 82,402 1,507 1.8

Clarke

47,275 45,765 1,510 3.2

Clay

1,648 1,567

81 4.9

2,386 12,182 83,440 47,268
1,603

2,256 11,678 81,978 45,689 1,517

130 5.4 504 4.1 1,462 1.8 1,579 3.3
86 5.4

Clayton Clinch Cobb Coffee Colquitt

128,006 123,732 4,274 3.3 3,652 3,418 234 6.4
367,762 358,744 9,018 2.5 21,495 20,536 959 4.5 20,608 19,226 1,382 6.7

127,413 3,612
365,810 22,042 21,147

123,095 3,360
356,897 20,202 18,835

4,318 3.4 252 7.0
8,913 2.4 1,840 8.3 2,312 10.9

Columbia Cook Coweta Crawford Crisp

45,566 44,418 1,148 2.5 8,601 8,234 367 4.3
47,639 46,278 1,361 2.9 6,251 6,049 202 3.2 9,978 9,449 529 5.3

45,131 44,170

961 2.1

8,460 8,093

367 4.3

47,513 46,040 1,473 3.1

6,173 5,982

191 3.1

9,790 9,261

529 5.4

Revised May 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

4,178,859 4,025,882 152,977

3.7

8,106 3,330 4,319 1,583 18,418

7,435 3,133 4,101 1,502 17,717

671 8.3 197 5.9 218 5.0
81 5.1 701 3.8

6,498 6,236

262 4.0

22,059 21,067

992 4.5

40,988 39,351 1,637 4.0

9,427 8,835

592 6.3

6,450 6,101

349 5.4

73,617 70,127 3,490 4.7

5,874 5,662

212 3.6

6,386 6,046

340 5.3

7,816 7,404

412 5.3

11,355 11,016

339 3.0

26,897 9,176 9,041 2,508
17,048

26,136 8,290 8,650 2,260
16,439

761 2.8 886 9.7 391 4.3 248 9.9 609 3.6

3,875 3,660

215 5.5

45,625 43,710 1,915 4.2

27,314 26,622

692 2.5

3,828 3,691

137 3.6

107,503 103,618 3,885 3.6

2,504 2,281

223 8.9

11,948 11,527

421 3.5

83,240 81,620 1,620 1.9

46,593 45,312 1,281 2.7

1,555 1,463

92 5.9

127,098 122,557 4,541 3.6

3,396 3,286

110 3.2

364,427 355,337 9,090 2.5

20,763 19,758 1,005 4.8

19,291 18,357

934 4.8

45,480 44,170 1,310 2.9

8,294 7,912

382 4.6

47,526 45,839 1,687 3.5

6,128 5,874

254 4.1

9,595 9,027

568 5.9

14

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

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

County
Dade Dawson Decatur DeKalb Dodge

Preliminary May 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,480 7,313 167 2.2 17,645 17,372 273 1.5 12,259 11,508 751 6.1 369,477 356,373 13,104 3.5 10,062 9,702 360 3.6

Revised April 2001

Revised May 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,489 7,328

161 2.1

17,441 17,189

252 1.4

12,023 11,308

715 5.9

367,345 354,538 12,807 3.5

10,027 9,551

476 4.7

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,516 7,355 161 2.1

17,369 17,086

283 1.6

11,697 11,047

650 5.6

366,307 352,988 13,319 3.6

9,817 9,417 400 4.1

Dooly Dougherty Douglas Early Echols

4,734 4,444 290 6.1

44,163 41,678 2,485 5.6

53,465 52,188 1,277 2.4

4,926 4,627 299 6.1

1,334 1,253

81 6.1

4,686 4,356

330 7.0

43,995 41,428 2,567 5.8

53,204 51,920 1,284 2.4

4,758 4,489

269 5.7

1,345 1,241

104 7.7

4,571 4,246

325 7.1

44,538 41,689 2,849 6.4

53,151 51,693 1,458 2.7

4,701 4,340

361 7.7

1,269 1,220

49 3.9

Effingham Elbert Emanuel Evans Fannin

18,675 18,150 525 2.8 9,189 8,597 592 6.4 8,739 8,167 572 6.5 5,110 4,933 177 3.5 9,522 9,249 273 2.9

18,445 9,072 8,607 5,002 9,547

17,983 8,493 8,070 4,859 9,203

462 2.5 579 6.4 537 6.2 143 2.9 344 3.6

18,748 18,188

560 3.0

8,975 8,334

641 7.1

8,934 7,926 1,008 11.3

5,018 4,756

262 5.2

9,365 9,088

277 3.0

Fayette Floyd Forsyth Franklin Fulton

52,129 51,258 871 1.7 45,885 44,079 1,806 3.9 56,447 55,498 949 1.7 10,945 10,458 487 4.4 414,488 399,732 14,756 3.6

51,903 50,995

908 1.7 51,775 50,772 1,003 1.9

46,007 43,902 2,105 4.6 44,998 43,367 1,631 3.6

56,158 55,212

946 1.7 55,821 54,971

850 1.5

10,778 10,337

441 4.1 10,477 10,146

331 3.2

412,422 397,674 14,748 3.6 410,647 395,936 14,711 3.6

Gilmer Glascock Glynn Gordon Grady

8,386 8,127 259 3.1

1,033

996

37 3.6

36,187 35,077 1,110 3.1

23,818 22,334 1,484 6.2

9,565 9,158 407 4.3

8,228 8,048

180 2.2

1,028

982

46 4.5

36,143 34,970 1,173 3.2

23,936 22,157 1,779 7.4

9,388 8,910

478 5.1

8,170 7,911

259 3.2

1,002 963

39 3.9

35,818 34,556 1,262 3.5

22,539 21,817

722 3.2

9,218 8,642

576 6.2

Greene

5,925 5,589 336 5.7

Gwinnett

350,353 341,993 8,360 2.4

Habersham

16,805 15,754 1,051 6.3

Hall

76,130 74,129 2,001 2.6

Hancock

4,090 3,730 360 8.8

5,863 5,525

338 5.8

5,860 5,422

438 7.5

348,409 340,232 8,177 2.3 346,612 338,745 7,867 2.3

17,141 15,565 1,576 9.2 15,936 15,271

665 4.2

75,873 73,389 2,484 3.3 74,273 72,645 1,628 2.2

4,106 3,688

418 10.2

3,965 3,625

340 8.6

Haralson Harris Hart Heard Henry

10,329 9,726 603 5.8 12,229 11,856 373 3.1 10,356 9,798 558 5.4
4,795 4,534 261 5.4 64,821 63,374 1,447 2.2

10,239 9,672

567 5.5

12,260 11,769

491 4.0

10,321 9,696

625 6.1

4,691 4,481

210 4.5

64,551 63,048 1,503 2.3

10,010 9,548

462 4.6

12,259 11,898

361 2.9

9,996 9,525

471 4.7

4,684 4,430

254 5.4

64,102 62,772 1,330 2.1

Houston Irwin Jackson Jasper Jeff Davis

51,834 50,405 1,429 2.8 5,160 4,900 260 5.0
24,024 23,134 890 3.7 4,938 4,785 153 3.1 5,398 5,086 312 5.8

51,619 50,311 1,308 2.5 52,204 50,698 1,506 2.9

5,123 4,823

300 5.9

4,974 4,719

255 5.1

23,624 22,902

722 3.1 23,104 22,507

597 2.6

4,933 4,740

193 3.9

4,864 4,664

200 4.1

5,323 5,008

315 5.9

5,205 4,901

304 5.8

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 May 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,539 6,900 639 8.5 4,853 4,537 316 6.5 3,685 3,487 198 5.4 12,047 11,669 378 3.1 6,807 6,410 397 5.8

Revised April 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,423 4,654 3,653 12,001 6,667

6,798 4,425 3,447 11,648 6,329

625 8.4 229 4.9 206 5.6 353 2.9 338 5.1

Lanier Laurens Lee Liberty Lincoln

3,697 22,485 11,955 18,192
3,288

3,538 21,675 11,588 17,328
2,891

159 4.3 810 3.6 367 3.1 864 4.7 397 12.1

3,677 22,297 11,938 18,084
3,166

3,504 21,493 11,519 17,243
2,862

173 4.7 804 3.6 419 3.5 841 4.7 304 9.6

Long Lowndes Lumpkin McDuffie McIntosh

3,913 3,822

91 2.3

44,565 42,771 1,794 4.0

11,521 11,279 242 2.1

9,846 9,264 582 5.9

4,647 4,445 202 4.3

3,909 44,177 11,349
9,722 4,615

3,804 42,356 11,133
9,212 4,399

105 2.7 1,821 4.1
216 1.9 510 5.2 216 4.7

Macon

5,858 5,463 395 6.7

Madison

14,001 13,463 538 3.8

Marion

3,551 3,417 134 3.8

Meriwether

9,567 8,966 601 6.3

Miller

3,292 3,147 145 4.4

5,768 13,975
3,502 9,565 3,218

5,313 13,440
3,364 8,868 3,056

455 7.9 535 3.8 138 3.9 697 7.3 162 5.0

Mitchell

12,462 11,912 550 4.4

Monroe

8,879 8,445 434 4.9

Montgomery 3,808 3,581 227 6.0

Morgan

7,577 7,388 189 2.5

Murray

20,430 19,691 739 3.6

12,251 8,723 3,796 7,466
20,326

11,651 8,364 3,534 7,256 19,543

600 4.9 359 4.1 262 6.9 210 2.8 783 3.9

Muscogee 86,235 82,463 3,772 4.4

Newton

31,220 30,205 1,015 3.3

Oconee

13,744 13,537 207 1.5

Oglethorpe

6,444 6,218 226 3.5

Paulding

43,999 43,126 873 2.0

85,292 31,058 13,735
6,390 43,742

81,854 30,050 13,514
6,145 42,904

3,438 4.0 1,008 3.2
221 1.6 245 3.8 838 1.9

Peach Pickens Pierce Pike Polk

11,140 10,717 423 3.8 11,369 11,095 274 2.4 7,910 7,613 297 3.8 6,726 6,474 252 3.7 17,670 16,849 821 4.6

11,070 11,325 7,762 6,662 17,576

10,697 11,038 7,470 6,400 16,705

373 3.4 287 2.5 292 3.8 262 3.9 871 5.0

Pulaski Putnam Quitman Rabun Randolph

5,025 4,551 474 9.4

9,782 9,497 285 2.9

1,579 1,498

81 5.1

7,608 7,413 195 2.6

3,416 3,216 200 5.9

4,619 9,648 1,538 7,661 3,409

4,453 9,365 1,483 7,384 3,159

166 3.6 283 2.9
55 3.6 277 3.6 250 7.3

16

Revised May 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,439 4,976 3,622 12,225 6,711

6,658 4,332 3,383 11,737 6,252

781 10.5 644 12.9 239 6.6 488 4.0 459 6.8

3,619 22,607 11,987 18,057
3,215

3,445 21,154 11,591 17,023
2,815

174 4.8 1,453 6.4
396 3.3 1,034 5.7
400 12.4

3,908 44,271 11,251
9,634 4,588

3,755 41,645 11,021
9,212 4,323

153 3.9 2,626 5.9
230 2.0 422 4.4 265 5.8

5,894 13,671
3,440 9,333 3,165

5,148 13,329
3,294 8,769 2,956

746 12.7 342 2.5 146 4.2 564 6.0 209 6.6

12,058 8,760 3,834 7,419
19,957

11,342 8,277 3,465 7,085 19,366

716 5.9 483 5.5 369 9.6 334 4.5 591 3.0

86,813 31,089 13,620
6,199 43,756

82,756 29,918 13,403
6,032 42,716

4,057 4.7 1,171 3.8
217 1.6 167 2.7 1,040 2.4

11,280 11,280 7,596 6,571 17,221

10,779 10,990
7,289 6,326 16,559

501 4.4 290 2.6 307 4.0 245 3.7 662 3.8

4,553 9,566 1,559 7,418 3,329

4,371 9,235 1,455 7,290 3,084

182 4.0 331 3.5 104 6.7 128 1.7 245 7.4

Georgia Labor .orce 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 May 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

80,982 76,710 4,272 5.3

40,338 39,436 902 2.2

1,897 1,809

88 4.6

6,497 5,827 670 10.3

5,067 4,835 232 4.6

Revised April 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

80,124 76,282 3,842 4.8

40,187 39,233

954 2.4

1,851 1,778

73 3.9

6,080 5,725

355 5.8

4,911 4,697

214 4.4

Revised May 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

80,819 76,282 4,537 5.6

40,132 39,062 1,070 2.7

1,837 1,756

81 4.4

6,030 5,592

438 7.3

4,784 4,551

233 4.9

30,374 28,888 1,486 4.9 12,187 11,537 650 5.3
2,496 2,366 130 5.2 15,666 14,911 755 4.8
3,062 2,915 147 4.8

30,427 28,739 1,688 5.5

12,111 11,467

644 5.3

2,482 2,331

151 6.1

15,582 14,734

848 5.4

3,074 2,875

199 6.5

29,966 28,614 1,352 4.5

11,824 11,308

516 4.4

2,425 2,285

140 5.8

15,212 14,457

755 5.0

3,031 2,840

191 6.3

904

833

71 7.9

7,594 7,278 316 4.2

3,876 3,729 147 3.8

5,078 4,694 384 7.6

4,251 3,988 263 6.2

874 7,416 3,817 4,959 4,192

819 7,040 3,662 4,610 3,892

55 6.3 376 5.1 155 4.1 349 7.0 300 7.2

836 7,535 3,800 4,866 4,089

800 6,792 3,576 4,503 3,779

36 4.3 743 9.9 224 5.9 363 7.5 310 7.6

21,997 21,207 790 3.6

21,360 20,456 904 4.2

12,503 11,763 740 5.9

4,358 4,277

81 1.9

2,810 2,642 168 6.0

21,802 21,074 12,455
4,352 2,773

20,959 20,119 11,609 4,253 2,607

843 3.9 955 4.5 846 6.8
99 2.3 166 6.0

21,483 20,671 12,769
4,321 2,796

20,570 19,672 11,383
4,193 2,556

913 4.2 999 4.8 1,386 10.9 128 3.0 240 8.6

31,587 30,121 1,466 4.6 4,438 4,055 383 8.6 4,294 4,013 281 6.5 7,953 7,784 169 2.1
12,663 11,912 751 5.9

31,548 4,411 4,238 7,893
12,721

29,995 3,949 4,005 7,679 11,850

1,553 4.9 462 10.5 233 5.5 214 2.7 871 6.8

30,994 29,619 1,375 4.4

4,220 3,826

394 9.3

4,216 4,036

180 4.3

7,775 7,521

254 3.3

12,437 11,691

746 6.0

31,789 30,711 1,078 3.4 30,717 29,836 881 2.9 16,343 15,590 753 4.6
2,781 2,557 224 8.1 9,965 9,548 417 4.2

31,965 30,771 1,194 3.7

30,635 29,683

952 3.1

16,289 15,483

806 4.9

2,717 2,524

193 7.1

9,858 9,445

413 4.2

31,834 30,886

948 3.0

30,691 29,553 1,138 3.7

15,904 15,257

647 4.1

2,647 2,474

173 6.5

9,731 9,281

450 4.6

11,876 11,300 576 4.9

1,184 1,147

37 3.1

2,095 1,962 133 6.3

9,550 9,096 454 4.8

48,821 47,107 1,714 3.5

11,751 11,218

533 4.5

1,157 1,119

38 3.3

2,088 1,927

161 7.7

9,334 9,015

319 3.4

48,564 46,888 1,676 3.5

11,731 11,048

683 5.8

1,128 1,089

39 3.5

2,119 1,882

237 11.2

9,240 8,864

376 4.1

47,453 46,293 1,160 2.4

3,438 5,949 4,725 9,740

3,280 5,310 4,525 9,237

158 4.6 639 10.7 200 4.2 503 5.2

3,344 5,495 4,695 9,590

3,215 5,218 4,496 9,007

129 3.9 277 5.0 199 4.2 583 6.1

3,293 5,428 4,654 9,283

3,133 5,145 4,433 8,746

160 4.9 283 5.2 221 4.7 537 5.8

17

New Developments

Sugar Foods Corporation is moving its operations from Lawrenceville to the former Lowe's distribution building in the Villa Rica West Industrial Park in Villa Rica. Representing an estimated $6 million investment in the new location, Sugar Foods, the No. 1 supplier of sugar substitutes, manufactures a variety of food products, including the artificial sweetener Sweet'n Low. The new plant will produce powdered non-dairy creamer, Turbinado natural sugar and croutons. With corporate offices in New York City, Sugar Foods has production plants on the east and west coasts, a national sales force which oversees a broker organization and a distribution network extending across North America. The company expects to add approximately 200 employees to its workforce this summer and will transfer an undetermined number from the Lawrenceville location giving an economic boost to Carroll County.
Merial Ltd. recently opened its new North American headquarters in Duluth. Merial is the world's leading animal healthcare company which specializes in veterinary products including the flea and tick control agent Frontline. With its worldwide headquarters in London, Merial employs more than 6,500 people and operates in more than 150 countries. The company also has operations in Athens and Gainesville. Merial is expected to hire more than 400 at its new headquarters in Gwinnett County, bringing the total count of employees in Georgia to 1,000.
General American Door Company (GADCO) recently celebrated the opening of its newest distribution center in Valdosta. Based in Montgomery, Illinois, GADCO manufactures residential and commercial garage doors. The new distribution center, which currently has an inventory of over 600 doors, will serve parts of Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and North Carolina. GADCO also has distribution centers in Norcross, GA, Waters, MI, Twinsburg, OH, Allentown, PA, Bowling Green, KY, Richmond, VA, Iron Mountain, MI, Jackson, MT and Poca, WV. To better serve dealers, the company plans to add a display area to view the products in Lowndes County.
Kroger, which exited the local market 15 years ago, has made its comeback to the area with its recent

opening in Gainesville. The store's grand opening was somewhat of a homecoming for some of the employees who worked for the supermarket chain several years ago in Gainesville. The opening of the new 52,000-square-foot store, which anchors the 78,000-square-foot Thompson Bridge shopping center, will provide area residents more choices for their shopping needs. Kroger's new 24-hour store includes a meals-to-go deli department, bakery, pharmacy and nutrition center. The supermarket has also installed four U-Scan or self-checkout registers for fast services to its customers. Kroger, which has become a partner in education with North Hall High, North Hall Middle, Lanier Elementary and Sardis Elementary schools, has hired about 156 people, 75 percent of whom live in Hall and neighboring Lumpkin counties.
MegaStar Cinemas of Marietta is planning a 16screen movie theater at the $131 million Mall at Stonecrest in Lithonia. The new theater will occupy an anchor space between Dillard's and Parisian at the mall which is currently under construction at Interstate 20 and Turner Hill Road. MegaStar will have standard stadium seating and special glass enclosed "box seating" similar to the VIP suites at Philips Arena. The suite areas, behind the regular viewing area, will also have reclining chairs. MegaStar was founded in 1999 by a group that includes the owner of the Cleveland Indians baseball team. The company has theaters in Cleveland and Springfield, Mass. Construction of the mall theater is expected to begin in mid June with a projected opening date in the spring of next year in DeKalb County.
Texas Roadhouse will open a new restaurant on June 25 in Columbus. The 7,100-square-foot steakhouse will be the second location for the Roadhouse chain in the Columbus area. Based in Louisville, KY, Texas Roadhouse was formed in 1993 and is considered a casual, moderately priced restaurant. The outside has a western flair while oak whiskey barrels filled with peanuts can be found inside. The new restaurant will employ about 150 people during its inaugural grand opening after which about 120 permanent and fulland part-time employees will remain in Muscogee County.

18

Georgia Unemployment Rates by County

May 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

May Average Initial Weekly Average Claims Benefit Duration

County

May 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

334 ..... $202 ...... 8.6 99 ..... $149 ...... 7.8
163 ..... $193 ...... 7.5 24 ..... $175 ...... 8.9
165 ..... $179 .... 10.5 186 ..... $198 ...... 5.6 167 ..... $210 ...... 9.3 464 ..... $210 ...... 7.4 420 ..... $157 ...... 8.5 108 ..... $174 ...... 6.7 1345 ..... $188 ...... 9.4 238 ..... $180 ...... 6.5 111 ..... $192 .... 11.0 194 ..... $149 ...... 9.4
67 ..... $209 ...... 8.3 410 ..... $176 ...... 9.5 225 ..... $185 ...... 7.6
89 ..... $195 .... 10.5 50 ..... $168 ...... 7.5 95 ..... $180 .... 10.5 80 ..... $175 ...... 8.8 773 ..... $195 ...... 9.2 422 ..... $217 ...... 6.2 16 ..... $189 ...... 7.7 597 ..... $190 .... 10.0 16 ..... $184 .... 11.3 229 ..... $197 ...... 8.1 341 ..... $229 ...... 8.2 563 ..... $193 .... 10.1 17 ..... $175 ...... 7.6 900 ..... $208 .... 10.3 33 ..... $186 .... 13.2 1629 ..... $230 .... 11.2 244 ..... $177 ...... 7.5 485 ..... $176 ...... 7.7 274 ..... $202 ...... 9.4 129 ..... $164 ...... 8.0 604 ..... $204 ...... 7.8 166 ..... $203 ...... 7.8 236 ..... $150 ...... 8.9 58 ..... $233 ...... 4.4 42 ..... $214 ...... 8.2 197 ..... $174 ...... 7.5 2610 ..... $216 .... 10.5 288 ..... $173 ...... 8.5 123 ..... $159 ...... 9.6 478 ..... $162 .... 11.6 243 ..... $219 .... 10.6 86 ..... $157 ...... 8.2 11 ..... $197 ...... 6.8 87 ..... $212 ...... 8.9 201 ..... $177 ...... 7.0 238 ..... $159 ...... 9.0

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

83 ..... $185 ...... 9.2 557 ..... $199 ...... 5.5 193 ..... $226 ...... 9.5 879 ..... $208 ...... 6.9 174 ..... $237 ...... 9.3 294 ..... $198 ...... 6.5 3111 ..... $212 .... 11.2 230 ..... $203 ...... 5.7
11 ..... $217 ...... 6.7 173 ..... $191 .... 11.7 636 ..... $212 ...... 6.7 139 ..... $162 ...... 7.5 126 ..... $173 ...... 7.1 1677 ..... $230 .... 10.0 819 ..... $191 ...... 5.6 553 ...... $211 ...... 6.2
52 ..... $171 ...... 9.6 153 ..... $209 ...... 9.9 104 ..... $209 ...... 8.6 450 ..... $186 ...... 5.3 138 ..... $212 ...... 7.2 279 ..... $213 ...... 9.9 583 ..... $196 ...... 8.8 207 ..... $161 ...... 7.9 263 ..... $212 ...... 7.4
40 ..... $184 ...... 8.3 655 ..... $199 ...... 5.9 155 ..... $163 .... 10.0
99 ..... $167 ...... 8.7 51 ..... $161 .... 10.0 292 ..... $216 ...... 7.9 293 ..... $186 ...... 7.2 40 ..... $177 ...... 8.2 307 ..... $145 ...... 7.3 73 ..... $192 ...... 9.0 97 ..... $170 .... 11.6 144 ..... $196 ...... 7.7 17 ..... $175 .... 13.8 516 ..... $177 .... 10.1 84 ..... $207 ...... 5.9 243 ..... $179 ...... 6.6 30 ..... $184 .... 14.7 136 ..... $166 ...... 8.3 246 ..... $203 ...... 7.9 31 ..... $202 ...... 7.1 264 ..... $185 ...... 8.0 43 ..... $186 ...... 5.2 206 ..... $156 ...... 9.7 327 ..... $199 ...... 8.2 152 ..... $194 ...... 8.9 39 ..... $203 ...... 9.4 553 ..... $206 ...... 5.0 972 ..... $182 ...... 9.3

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

May 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

243 ..... $204 ...... 8.8 55 ..... $216 ...... 8.3 114 ..... $184 ...... 7.8
190 ..... $222 ...... 9.9 211 ..... $176 ...... 8.1 80 ..... $205 ...... 7.3 118 ..... $204 ...... 8.5 91 ..... $200 ...... 7.9 563 ..... $203 ...... 5.8 189 ..... $173 ...... 8.6 90 ..... $175 ...... 7.7
2 ..... $240 .... 13.3 238 ..... $160 ...... 4.8 112 ..... $155 ...... 8.9 1470 ..... $182 ...... 9.4 180 ..... $218 .... 10.8
11 ..... $164 ...... 9.2 272 ..... $198 ...... 7.3
76 ..... $163 ...... 8.5 336 ..... $190 ...... 8.7 546 ..... $199 ...... 5.8
26 ..... $160 ...... 8.8 141 ..... $153 ...... 8.9
77 ..... $179 .... 11.2 36 ..... $203 ...... 5.7 87 ..... $170 .... 13.5 91 ..... $172 ...... 8.1 353 ..... $156 ...... 8.4 63 ..... $154 ...... 8.8 360 ..... $162 ...... 8.9 630 ..... $158 ...... 8.6 385 ..... $179 .... 11.4 25 ..... $171 ...... 8.8 96 ..... $171 ...... 9.6 674 ..... $199 ...... 6.8 322 ..... $138 ...... 8.2 131 ..... $206 ...... 9.0 71 ..... $177 ...... 8.3 900 ..... $178 ...... 6.6 566 ..... $209 ...... 5.7 240 ..... $200 ...... 8.2 294 ..... $160 ...... 9.4 88 ..... $163 ...... 7.3 79 ..... $157 .... 11.2 163 ..... $188 ...... 9.5
9 ..... $193 ...... 9.2 97 ..... $168 ...... 8.0 208 ..... $196 ...... 6.8 1420 ..... $201 ...... 5.4 106 ..... $181 ...... 6.9 376 ..... $197 ...... 7.3 76 ..... $173 .... 10.4 180 ..... $159 ...... 9.2

Unemployment Insurance Statistics

Average duration of benefits

Weeks 10.0

Last 12 months

9.5 9.3 9.2 9.1 9.1 9.0

9.0

8.8 8.7

8.5

8.5 8.5 8.5

8.5

8.4

8.0

7.5

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

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

52,185 initial claims highest total for May since 1982...

The total number of new claims filed for unemployment compensation once again increased over the month, from 46,686 in April to 52,185 in May, a rise of 11.8 percent. May's total represents the highest number of initial claims filings for one month (excluding the month of January when seasonality causes a substantial increase in claims activity) since 53,388 new claims were filed during July 1994. This month's figure also represents the highest total of new claims for the month of May in 19 years, when 55,039 initial claims were filed in May 1982. Over the year, new claims were up 108.6 percent from May 2000's total of 25,014. Continued weeks claimed actually saw a downturn of 4.8 percent over the month, from 234,593 in April to 223,289 in May. However, continued weeks claimed climbed 61.0 percent from last May's total of 138,654.
Changes in benefits paid and weeks paid paralleled one another in both monthly and yearly changes during the month. Benefits paid totaled $49,798,312 in May, a growth of 28.9 percent from April and an advance of 100.9% from last May. Similarly, the total number of weeks paid, 225,142 during May, rose 27.7 percent over the month and surged 89.6 percent over the year. As has been the case in recent months, the manufacturing industry accounted for the largest amount of benefit payouts as well as total weeks paid for a major industry division during the month, with $9,526,330 paid out in benefits and 40,963 total weeks paid. Over the year, benefit payouts in manufacturing increased 168.0 percent while the total number of weeks paid grew 140.6 percent.
The number of first payments, 22,040 in May, grew 17.2 percent over the month and ascended 112.6 percent over

the year. Benefit exhaustions (final payments), 5,082 for the month, were up 25.1 percent from last month and advanced 52.7 percent from last year. The total number of beneficiaries totaled 71,826 for May, a jump of 9.8 percent from last month and sharp upturn of 102.5 percent from May 2000's total of 36,363. The average weekly benefit amount rose $2.07 during May to a total of $221.19, which was up 5.9 percent over the year. The average duration of benefits held at 8.5 weeks for the third consecutive month (and four of the last five months). The components used to calculate the average duration, 12-month running totals of weeks paid divided by first payments, as mentioned, have increased 89.6 percent (weeks paid) and 112.6 percent (first payments) over the last year. The collateral growth of both components over the last year has kept the duration at a seemingly invariable average over recent months. The average duration has declined by 0.9 weeks over the year.

Key Trends

May 2001

May 2000

Initial claims filed ............................... 52,185 ................... 25,014

Persons receiving benefits ................ 71,826 ................... 35,463

Average weekly benefit amount ...... $221.19 ................. $208.79

Benefits paid ............................ $49,798,312 .......... $24,790,389

Employer taxes received* ........ $56,415,900 .......... $47,442,202

Trust fund balance .............. $1,807,167,547 ..... $1,954,741,925

*Minus refunds to employers

21

Workforce Information Directory

2001 Workforce Information
WorkfGoerocrMegiiIacnhDfaoeeplramLr.tamTtheiunortmnoof&nLdaAbonralysis

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