Dimensions: measuring Georgia's workforce, Vol. 27, no. 8 (Aug. 2001)

August 2001 Data
Highlights
Disability and employment: ......... page 2
Find out how Georgia compares to other states in the Southeast in the employment rates of persons with disabilities.
Unemployment rate drops.......... page 10
In August, seasonal factors influenced the two-tenths percentage-point drop in Georgia's unemployment rate.
Spotlight: Service Delivery Region Eight .......................Page 12
"Holding their own in the face of economic adversity along the lower Chattahoochee."
New Developments .................Page 18
Average duration of benefits continues to climb .................. Page 21
Average duration of 9.2 weeks highest since July 2000.
Trust fund balance diminishes 11.8 percent over the year.
WI&A Customer Satisfaction Team .................. page 23

Volume XXVII, Number 8
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

Echoes of '96 when Olympic Games said "sayonara"...

Georgia's labor market continued to weaken in August as nonfarm payrolls fell by 10,500. This was the first August job decline in Georgia in over twenty-five years not counting the end of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. In addition, this was the second consecutive month in which the state suffered widespread job losses, resulting in a net decline of 49,900 jobs since June. The current retrenchment in Georgia's labor market is attributed to excessive inventories, diminishing new orders, and a continued array of layoff events. Over the year, Georgia's job growth has slipped into negative territory, contracting onetenth of one percent since last August.
In the goods-producing sector, manufacturing employment declined for the sixth consecutive month, yet August's drop of 800 was the smallest since January. However, the modest contraction this month is partly attributable to the return of some factory workers following normal summer shutdowns or retooling which are expected in July. Employment in this industry has fallen by 21,000 from a year ago, a contraction of 3.6 percent. In durable goods manufacturing, industrial machinery continued to post the largest employment decline, while furniture, lumber and wood products, and stone, clay and glass products each contributed to the sector's net loss over the month. In nondurable goods manufacturing, August declines in apparel, chemicals, and printing and publishing each had a hand in the net nondurable loss of 700 jobs.
Construction employment took its first August dip since the culmination of the Olympic Games in 1996. Employment in this industry fell by 4,200 over the month, constituting a two percent decline. These losses come on the tails of four months of build-up in the construction industry, which added roughly 7,200 new jobs. As the pace of new home sales weakens, residential construction is expected to slow somewhat in the fourth quarter. In Atlanta, demand has been strong at the low end of the housing market while expensive properties have been difficult to sell. Office, industrial and retail construction and expansions have slowed considerably and are expected to remain subdued through year-end.
In the service-producing sector, employment in the services industry fell by 6,900. This is the second consecutive

Thousands 30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0

-10.0

-20.0

-30.0

-40.0

-42.0

-50.0

1996

August monthly job growth in Georgia

22.8

28.5

27.1

14.1

1997

1998

1999

2000

-10.5
2001

month the services industry has lost employment, dropping 14,500 jobs since June. Again, an August decline in services employment has not occurred in Georgia since the cessation of the Olympic Games in 1996, and before that not since 1981. Yet employment in health services continued on its steady upward trend, adding 900 jobs over the month; hospitals accounted for roughly 90 percent of this increase. Employment in educational services and social services grew by 1,400 and 400 respectively.
All other services components lost employment over the month. Hotels and lodging places as well as amusement and recreation services were both affected by dampened business and leisure travel. Theme parks across the southeast have reported a slump in attendance in late summer and convention attendance has also been weak. Personnel supply services continue to be affected by firms' need to cut costs and trim payrolls. This industry lost 1,700 more jobs in August and has suffered an overwhelming loss of 27,100 jobs over the past year. Computer processing and engineering and management services continue to be hurt by layoffs and hiring freezes in high tech companies; these industries reported August losses of 1,800 and 1,300 respectively.
Employment in transportation and public utilities fell by 1,000 over the month. The decline in August was the fourth out of the five preceding months, and the largest during that period. Manufacturing woes continued to affect transportation employment as trucking and warehousing lost 500 jobs in August, and 3,000 over the past year. Communications lost 800 jobs, primarily in telephone companies. Finance, insurance and real estate combined to lose 500 jobs in August and about 3,100 over the year. Corporate credit demand, installment lending, and commercial construction lending have all weakened over the past quarter forcing some banks and lending institutions to cut jobs.
Wholesale trade employment was down 2,400 over the month, presumably due to already overstocked inventories on the part of retailers. Although discount retailers have done well in recent months and back-to-school purchases at general merchandise stores have also helped, retail employment dropped by 4,100 in August. Looking ahead, most retailers anticipate holiday sales growth to be modest at best, which suggests that fall retail hiring may be quite lackluster this year.
Finally, government employment got a boost of 9,400 primarily from non-salaried school faculty this month as all of the state's colleges and universities and local school systems commenced the 2001 school year. Over the year, total government employment has grown by 5,000.

Disability and employment: Spotlight on Georgia
The employment rate of people with disabilities has historically been the lowest of any minority in the nation. In spite of growing support by the business community for the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the challenges faced both by persons with a work disability and employers seeking productive workers are significant. The employment rate for people with disabilities has remained relatively constant nationally (between 29 and 34 percent) over the past fourteen years. Among working

2

Dimensions - Measuring Georgias Workforce

age adults with disabilities, 32 percent work full or part-time, compared with 81 percent of those without disabilities--a gap of 49 percentage points.
Education alone does not account for this disparity, for 55 percent of disabled persons who have college degrees are still unemployed, compared to 14 percent of their collegeeducated counterparts without disabilities. However, when looking only at people with disabilities who say they are able to work, the employment rate has increased gradually from 46 percent in 1986 to 56 percent in 2000. This increase can be attributed, at least in part, to the passage of ADA. Other factors were a strong economy and technological advances, both of which allowed companies to make accommodations that they had not made in the past.
In Georgia, the employment rate of persons with disabilities has grown from 34.7 percent in 1980 to 45.2 percent in 2000, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Moreover, Georgia has the third largest population of disabled adults in the Southeast region and also ranks third in the percent employed, behind Florida and North Carolina. Yet there is concern that an extended period of labor market contraction, and/or an economic recession could severely jeopardize the employment opportunities available to disabled persons. Research conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that persons with disabilities tend to experience proportionally larger gains during periods of labor market expansion than those without disabilities, but also suffer proportionally greater losses during times of contraction than their able-bodied counterparts.

Employment rates of adults with disabilities aged 21 to 64 years

Disabled adults

(Southeast Region)

Percent employed

1,400,000

60.0%

1,200,000
41.4%
1,000,000 8 0 0 ,0 0 0 6 0 0 ,0 0 0 4 0 0 ,0 0 0 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 0 AL

48.2% 45.2%

48.0%

43.9% 36.9%

44.3%

43.7% 50.0%
40.0%
30.0%

20.0%

With a disability

% employed

FL

GA

KY

MS

NC

SC

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Supplementary Survey

10.0%
0.0% TN

Yet this population also has a very important demographic factor in their corner. Disability incidence is estimated at 28.8 percent among those aged 55 to 64, the age cohort projected to comprise the largest segment of the workforce over the next decade (due to aging of the baby boom generation). When combined with the disability rates for the other age segments in the workforce, it is predicted that of the 19 million new workers available to fill jobs in the period between 1998 and 2008, 3.6 million will have a disability.
In addition to the tight labor market and the increase in those living with disabilities, there is another key factor strengthening the business case for employing people with disabilities: market potential. Census figures have shown that the U.S. has become one of the world's most multi-cultural societies. One in every four Americans is Asian, Black or Hispanic, and the percentages are increasing. One in five Americans has a disability. This means that customers and the employees who serve them will increasingly represent a medley of differences. Smart companies will staff their operations to reflect the changing consumer base.
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the occupations that currently account for 25 percent of all jobs among people with disabilities are: general managers, salespersons, administrative support, machine operators, food preparation workers and miscellaneous service jobs. Of these, only general managers and salespersons are included among the ten occupations projected to have the largest growth in Georgia from 1998 to 2008. People with disabilities are most unlikely to be employed as: teachers, physi-

cians, dentists and computer programmers. Indeed, administrative support and machine operating positions are projected to grow much more slowly than most occupations due to continuing advances in technology.
Among the employed, 20 percent of people with disabilities say their jobs involve only a small amount of their full talents and abilities. In addition, more than 36 percent say they have encountered some form of discrimination in the workplace due to their disabilities. And more than half of those who have experienced discrimination say they have been refused a job due to their disabilities. Other forms of discrimination include: being denied a workplace accommodation (40%), being given less responsibility than coworkers (32%), being paid less than other workers with similar skills in similar jobs (29%), being refused a job promotion (28%), and being refused a job interview (22%).
Given these statistics, it is easy to understand why people with disabilities are twice as likely to be self-employed as the general population; 14.7 percent compared to 8 percent. Workers with disabilities are an important and largely untapped resource for employers. While there are countless examples of successful transitions into the labor force, there are still many Georgians with disabilities who face great difficulties in their desire to join the workforce.
The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), which became effective July 1, 2000, establishes a national workforce preparation and employment system which centers around three guiding principles: streamlining services, empowering individuals, and universal access. As you may know, effective July 1, 2001 the Georgia Division of Rehabilitation Services became part of the Georgia Department of Labor. More than just a legislative initiative, this merger symbolizes a sincere commitment to promoting the skills of every Georgian and we hope that Georgia's business leaders will continue to do the same.
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 AUG 2001 JUL 2001 AUG 2000

Change in Jobs from JUL 2001 Net %

Change in Jobs from AUG 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

4,005.0 783.3 7.9 209.7 48.2 28.9 132.6 565.7 246.0 40.0 12.1 21.9 13.2 25.1 39.8 31.4 44.5 18.0 319.7 70.9 39.1 97.4 44.1 22.3 30.9 44.2 16.7 22.5 31.5
3,221.7 270.5 161.0 84.8 24.7 993.4 261.2 732.2 93.1 102.7 265.6 206.3 91.4 73.6 41.3
1,151.3 47.8
310.8 118.5 76.9 38.7 260.8 107.8 61.0 54.7 91.9 285.6 600.2 94.1 27.8 155.4 69.1 350.7 205.2

4,015.5 788.3 7.9 213.9 48.5 28.7 136.7 566.5 246.1 40.1 12.0 22.0 13.0 24.9 40.2 31.4 44.4 18.1 320.4 70.7 39.1 97.4 44.1 22.8 30.9 44.4 16.6 22.6 31.6
3,227.2 271.5 161.2 85.6 24.7 999.9 263.6 736.3 90.8 103.0 271.7 206.8 91.6 73.5 41.7
1,158.2 48.2
315.1 120.2
78.7 39.2 259.9 107.0 59.6 54.3 93.2 288.7 590.8 93.7 27.6 150.0 64.2 347.1 200.5

4,007.9 807.4 7.8 212.9 46.7 29.5 136.7 586.7 257.2 41.9 12.2 21.5 13.6 25.6 40.7 34.0 49.2 18.5 329.5 71.8 39.3 103.2 44.9 24.6 30.8 44.5 16.4 22.5 32.1
3,200.5 270.0 163.6 82.3 24.1 979.6 258.4 721.2 89.4 107.6 259.5 209.4 95.2 71.9 42.3
1,146.3 47.2
340.9 145.6
79.0 36.9 251.4 104.0 54.2 56.7 92.0 267.0 595.2 96.5 28.0 153.9 67.0 344.8 204.8

-10.5 -5.0 +.0 -4.2 -.3 +.2 -4.1 -.8 -.1 -.1 +.1 -.1 +.2 +.2 -.4 +.0 +.1 -.1 -.7 +.2 +.0 +.0 +.0 -.5 +.0 -.2 +.1 -.1 -.1 -5.5 -1.0 -.2 -.8 +.0 -6.5 -2.4 -4.1 +2.3 -.3 -6.1 -.5 -.2 +.1 -.4 -6.9 -.4 -4.3 -1.7 -1.8 -.5 +.9 +.8 +1.4 +.4 -1.3 -3.1 +9.4 +.4 +.2 +5.4 +4.9 +3.6 +4.7

-0.3 -0.6 +0.0 -2.0 -0.6 +0.7 -3.0 -0.1 +0.0 -0.2 +0.8 -0.5 +1.5 +0.8 -1.0 +0.0 +0.2 -0.6 -0.2 +0.3 +0.0 +0.0 +0.0 -2.2 +0.0 -0.5 +0.6 -0.4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.4 -0.1 -0.9 +0.0 -0.7 -0.9 -0.6 +2.5 -0.3 -2.2 -0.2 -0.2 +0.1 -1.0 -0.6 -0.8 -1.4 -1.4 -2.3 -1.3 +0.3 +0.7 +2.3 +0.7 -1.4 -1.1 +1.6 +0.4 +0.7 +3.6 +7.6 +1.0 +2.3

-2.9 -0.1 -24.1 -3.0
+.1 +1.3 -3.2 -1.5 +1.5 +3.2
-.6 -2.0 -4.1 -3.0 -21.0 -3.6 -11.2 -4.4 -1.9 -4.5
-.1 -0.8 +.4 +1.9 -.4 -2.9 -.5 -2.0 -.9 -2.2 -2.6 -7.6 -4.7 -9.6 -.5 -2.7 -9.8 -3.0 -.9 -1.3 -.2 -0.5 -5.8 -5.6 -.8 -1.8 -2.3 -9.3 +.1 +0.3 -.3 -0.7 +.3 +1.8 +.0 +0.0 -.6 -1.9 +21.2 +0.7 +.5 +0.2 -2.6 -1.6 +2.5 +3.0 +.6 +2.5 +13.8 +1.4 +2.8 +1.1 +11.0 +1.5 +3.7 +4.1 -4.9 -4.6 +6.1 +2.4 -3.1 -1.5 -3.8 -4.0 +1.7 +2.4 -1.0 -2.4 +5.0 +0.4 +.6 +1.3 -30.1 -8.8 -27.1 -18.6 -2.1 -2.7 +1.8 +4.9 +9.4 +3.7 +3.8 +3.7 +6.8 +12.5 -2.0 -3.5 -.1 -0.1 +18.6 +7.0 +5.0 +0.8 -2.4 -2.5 -.2 -0.7 +1.5 +1.0 +2.1 +3.1 +5.9 +1.7 +.4 +0.2

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 AUG 2001 JUL 2001 AUG 2000

Average Weekly Hours
Preliminary Revised Revised AUG 2001 JUL 2001 AUG 2000

Average Hourly Earnings
Preliminary Revised Revised AUG 2001 JUL 2000 AUG 2000

Total manufacturing

$525.92 $521.39 $537.25

40.3

40.2

41.2 $13.05 $12.97 $13.04

Durable goods

$571.43 $549.25 $571.37

40.7

39.6

40.9 $14.04 $13.87 $13.97

Lumber and wood products

$465.71 $481.16 $446.35

39.5

40.4

39.5 $11.79 $11.91 $11.30

Furniture and fixtures

$442.58 $422.65 $422.91

39.8

39.5

40.9 $11.12 $10.70 $10.34

Stone, clay and glass products

$674.63 $674.98 $620.10

45.8

46.2

43.7 $14.73 $14.61 $14.19

Primary metal industries

$626.48 $609.33 $641.55

44.4

43.9

47.0 $14.11 $13.88 $13.65

Fabricated metal products

$578.88 $547.81 $491.78

43.2

42.4

41.5 $13.40 $12.92 $11.85

Industrial machinery

$514.29 $482.83 $524.80

39.5

37.4

40.4 $13.02 $12.91 $12.99

Electric and electronic equipment

$482.08 $446.78 $546.06

38.2

35.6

38.7 $12.62 $12.55 $14.11

Transportation equipment

$846.05 $791.70 $848.54

40.5

37.7

42.3 $20.89 $21.00 $20.06

Other durable goods

$454.10 $436.04 $459.26

37.1

35.8

36.8 $12.24 $12.18 $12.48

Nondurable goods

$492.40 $502.24 $510.46

40.0

40.7

41.4 $12.31 $12.34 $12.33

Food and kindred products

$495.94 $502.74 $514.68

42.1

42.0

42.5 $11.78 $11.97 $12.11

Meat products

$393.57 $387.83 $397.28

40.7

39.9

41.6

$9.67 $9.72 $9.55

Textile mill products

$433.71 $445.26 $466.07

39.5

41.0

41.8 $10.98 $10.86 $11.15

Carpets and rugs

$393.50 $442.61 $468.13

37.8

42.6

41.1 $10.41 $10.39 $11.39

Apparel and other finished textiles

$274.25 $280.01 $281.60

33.9

33.9

34.3

$8.09 $8.26 $8.21

Paper and allied products

$627.01 $659.51 $674.96

40.4

41.9

42.8 $15.52 $15.74 $15.77

Printing and publishing

$613.40 $606.44 $597.18

39.6

39.1

41.1 $15.49 $15.51 $14.53

Commerical printing

$693.08 $665.53 $669.76

43.7

41.7

45.5 $15.86 $15.96 $14.72

Chemicals and allied products

$613.05 $600.00 $676.91

40.2

40.0

41.3 $15.25 $15.00 $16.39

Other nondurable goods

$498.15 $511.29 $496.23

40.5

41.2

41.7 $12.30 $12.41 $11.90

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

41.3 41.1

40.9

41.0

40.6

40.5 40.0

40.0

39.7

40.5 40.2 40.3
39.9

39.5

39.0

38.8

38.5

38.0
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan 2000

Feb Mar Apr May Jun 2001

Jul Aug* 5

Atlanta Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary Revised Revised AUG 2001 JUL 2001 AUG 2000

Change in Jobs from JUL 2001 Net %

Change in Jobs from AUG 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

2,212.3 336.5 2.0 117.7 27.8 13.9 76.0 216.8 108.9 9.1 9.7 7.8 11.9 15.6 17.0 20.7 17.1 107.9 24.8 9.8 7.0 12.4 28.4 10.0 10.8 14.7
1,875.8 197.2 116.9 80.3 588.2 182.5 128.3 54.2 405.7 47.0 54.1 152.3 50.2 140.1 59.6 52.5 28.0 684.2 27.4 214.2 75.0 63.3 33.4 133.2 57.8 31.1 67.0 177.9 266.1 45.8 55.5 164.8

2,217.7 340.3 1.9 121.8 28.3 13.6 79.9 216.6 108.8 9.0 9.6 7.6 11.9 16.0 17.0 20.5 17.2 107.8 24.7 9.8 7.2 12.5 28.3 9.8 10.8 14.5
1,877.4 197.6 117.0 80.6 592.6 183.3 128.9 54.4 409.3 46.0 54.2 156.3 49.8 140.2 59.5 52.4 28.3 687.8 27.7 217.6 76.8 64.7 33.3 133.2 57.6 30.7 68.0 177.3 259.2 45.8 52.3 161.1

2,207.6 350.5 1.8 124.4 27.0 15.3 82.1 224.3 114.0 9.0 9.8 7.9 12.0 16.4 18.3 23.0 17.6 110.3 25.3 10.5 7.9 12.5 28.5 10.0 10.8 14.8
1,857.1 193.4 118.3 75.1 574.2 179.1 125.8 53.3 395.1 45.1 57.4 144.9 47.9 143.3 62.4 51.2 29.7 689.1 27.4 239.1 95.7 65.8 31.7 126.9 54.3 30.1 66.0 167.9 257.1 46.3 52.6 158.2

-5.4 -0.2 -3.8 -1.1 +.1 +5.3 -4.1 -3.4
-.5 -1.8 +.3 +2.2 -3.9 -4.9 +.2 +0.1 +.1 +0.1 +.1 +1.1 +.1 +1.0 +.2 +2.6 +.0 +0.0 -.4 -2.5 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +1.0 -.1 -0.6 +.1 +0.1 +.1 +0.4 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -2.8 -.1 -0.8 +.1 +0.4 +.2 +2.0 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +1.4 -1.6 -0.1 -.4 -0.2 -.1 -0.1 -.3 -0.4 -4.4 -0.7 -.8 -0.4 -.6 -0.5 -.2 -0.4 -3.6 -0.9 +1.0 +2.2 -.1 -0.2 -4.0 -2.6 +.4 +0.8 -.1 -0.1 +.1 +0.2 +.1 +0.2 -.3 -1.1 -3.6 -0.5 -.3 -1.1 -3.4 -1.6 -1.8 -2.3 -1.4 -2.2 +.1 +0.3 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +0.3 +.4 +1.3 -1.0 -1.5 +.6 +0.3 +6.9 +2.7 +.0 +0.0 +3.2 +6.1 +3.7 +2.3

+4.7 +0.2 -14.0 -4.0
+.2 +11.1 -6.7 -5.4 +.8 +3.0 -1.4 -9.2 -6.1 -7.4 -7.5 -3.3 -5.1 -4.5 +.1 +1.1
-.1 -1.0 -.1 -1.3 -.1 -0.8 -.8 -4.9 -1.3 -7.1 -2.3 -10.0 -.5 -2.8 -2.4 -2.2 -.5 -2.0 -.7 -6.7 -.9 -11.4 -.1 -0.8 -.1 -0.4 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.7 +18.7 +1.0 +3.8 +2.0 -1.4 -1.2 +5.2 +6.9 +14.0 +2.4 +3.4 +1.9 +2.5 +2.0 +.9 +1.7 +10.6 +2.7 +1.9 +4.2 -3.3 -5.7 +7.4 +5.1 +2.3 +4.8 -3.2 -2.2 -2.8 -4.5 +1.3 +2.5 -1.7 -5.7 -4.9 -0.7 +.0 +0.0 -24.9 -10.4 -20.7 -21.6 -2.5 -3.8 +1.7 +5.4 +6.3 +5.0 +3.5 +6.4 +1.0 +3.3 +1.0 +1.5 +10.0 +6.0 +9.0 +3.5 -.5 -1.1 +2.9 +5.5 +6.6 +4.2

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 AUG 2001 JUL 2001 AUG 2000

Change in Jobs from JUL 2001 Net %

Change in Jobs from AUG 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

59.4

59.7

59.1

-.3 -0.5

+.3 +0.5

Goods producing industries

12.3

12.4

12.1

-.1 -0.8

+.2 +1.7

Mining

.0

.0

.0

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Contract construction

4.0

4.2

3.9

-.2 -4.8

+.1 +2.6

Manufacturing

8.3

8.2

8.2

+.1 +1.2

+.1 +1.2

Durable goods

1.4

1.4

1.4

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Nondurable goods

6.9

6.8

6.8

+.1 +1.5

+.1 +1.5

Food and kindred products

1.7

1.7

1.7

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Textile mill products

.9

.9

.9

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Chemicals and allied products

.6

.6

.6

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Other nondurable goods

3.7

3.6

3.6

+.1 +2.8

+.1 +2.8

Service producing industries

47.1

47.3

47.0

-.2 -0.4

+.1 +0.2

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

3.4

3.4

3.7

+.0 +0.0

-.3 -8.1

Wholesale and retail trade

13.5

13.6

13.4

-.1 -0.7

+.1 +0.7

Wholesale trade

2.8

2.9

2.9

-.1 -3.4

-.1 -3.4

Retail trade

10.7

10.7

10.5

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +1.9

Finance, insurance, and real estate

1.7

1.8

1.7

-.1 -5.6

+.0 +0.0

Services

16.7

16.7

16.1

+.0 +0.0

+.6 +3.7

Government

11.8

11.8

12.1

+.0 +0.0

-.3 -2.5

Federal

2.6

2.6

2.8

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -7.1

State and local

9.2

9.2

9.3

+.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 AUG 2001 JUL 2001 AUG 2000

Change in Jobs from JUL 2001 Net %

Change in Jobs from AUG 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

71.0

71.3

73.6

-.3 -0.4

-2.6 -3.5

Goods producing industries

14.5

14.8

14.7

-.3 -2.0

-.2 -1.4

Construction and mining

3.5

3.5

3.1

+.0 +0.0

+.4 +12.9

Manufacturing

11.0

11.3

11.6

-.3 -2.7

-.6 -5.2

Durable goods

5.7

5.7

5.7

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Nondurable goods

5.3

5.6

5.9

-.3 -5.4

-.6 -10.2

Food and kindred products

2.9

3.0

3.1

-.1 -3.3

-.2 -6.5

Textiles and apparel

1.0

1.2

1.2

-.2 -16.7

-.2 -16.7

Other nondurable goods

1.4

1.4

1.6

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -12.5

Service producing industries

56.5

56.5

58.9

+.0 +0.0

-2.4 -4.1

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

2.4

2.4

2.1

+.0 +0.0

+.3 +14.3

Wholesale and retail trade

17.5

17.4

17.1

+.1 +0.6

+.4 +2.3

Wholesale trade

3.0

3.1

2.9

-.1 -3.2

+.1 +3.4

Retail trade

14.5

14.3

14.2

+.2 +1.4

+.3 +2.1

Finance, insurance, and real estate

2.2

2.3

2.2

-.1 -4.3

+.0 +0.0

Services

17.5

17.5

17.2

+.0 +0.0

+.3 +1.7

Government

16.9

16.9

20.3

+.0 +0.0

-3.4 -16.7

Federal

2.0

2.0

1.9

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +5.3

State and local

14.9

14.9

18.4

+.0 +0.0

-3.5 -19.0

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 AUG 2001

Revised Revised JUL 2001 AUG 2000

Change in Jobs from JUL 2001 Net %

Change in Jobs from AUG 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

202.2

202.3

203.4

-.1 +0.0

-1.2 -0.6

Goods producing industries

43.8

43.9

43.1

-.1 -0.2

+.7 +1.6

Mining

.3

.3

.3

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Contract construction

13.9

13.8

13.2

+.1 +0.7

+.7 +5.3

Manufacturing

29.6

29.8

29.6

-.2 -0.7

+.0 +0.0

Durable goods

12.3

12.4

11.7

-.1 -0.8

+.6 +5.1

Lumber and wood products

1.4

1.4

1.2

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +16.7

Stone, clay, and glass products

2.4

2.5

2.5

-.1 -4.0

-.1 -4.0

Other durable goods

8.5

8.5

8.0

+.0 +0.0

+.5 +6.3

Nondurable goods

17.3

17.4

17.9

-.1 -0.6

-.6 -3.4

Food and kindred products

2.4

2.4

2.4

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Textile mill products

4.6

4.6

4.8

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -4.2

Apparel and other finished textiles

1.5

1.6

1.8

-.1 -6.3

-.3 -16.7

Printing and publishing

2.0

2.0

1.9

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +5.3

Other nondurable goods

6.8

6.8

7.0

+.0 +0.0

-.2 -2.9

Service producing industries

158.4

158.4

160.3

+.0 +0.0

-1.9 -1.2

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

17.4

17.4

17.3

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +0.6

Wholesale and retail trade

43.1

43.5

43.8

-.4 -0.9

-.7 -1.6

Wholesale trade

4.6

4.6

4.7

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -2.1

Retail trade

38.5

38.9

39.1

-.4 -1.0

-.6 -1.5

Finance, insurance, and real estate

6.3

6.3

6.2

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +1.6

Services

50.8

50.7

52.1

+.1 +0.2

-1.3 -2.5

Government

40.8

40.5

40.9

+.3 +0.7

-.1 -0.2

Federal

7.5

7.6

7.6

-.1 -1.3

-.1 -1.3

State and local

33.3

32.9

33.3

+.4 +1.2

+.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 AUG 2001

Revised Revised JUL 2001 AUG 2000

Change in Jobs from JUL 2001 Net %

Change in Jobs from AUG 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment Goods producing industries

122.5 25.3

121.6 25.0

122.0 26.3

+.9 +0.7 +.3 +1.2

+.5 +0.4 -1.0 -3.8

Construction and mining

6.0

6.0

5.7

+.0 +0.0

+.3 +5.3

Manufacturing

19.3

19.0

20.6

+.3 +1.6

-1.3 -6.3

Durable goods

8.1

8.0

8.3

+.1 +1.3

-.2 -2.4

Nondurable goods

11.2

11.0

12.3

+.2 +1.8

-1.1 -8.9

Food and kindred products

2.5

2.3

3.2

+.2 +8.7

-.7 -21.9

Textile mill products

5.5

5.4

5.8

+.1 +1.9

-.3 -5.2

Printing and publishing

1.0

1.0

1.1

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -9.1

Other nondurable goods

2.2

2.3

2.2

-.1 -4.3

+.0 +0.0

Service producing industries

97.2

96.6

95.7

+.6 +0.6

+1.5 +1.6

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

4.7

4.8

4.6

-.1 -2.1

+.1 +2.2

Wholesale and retail trade

27.0

26.7

26.6

+.3 +1.1

+.4 +1.5

Wholesale trade

3.0

3.0

3.1

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -3.2

Retail trade

24.0

23.7

23.5

+.3 +1.3

+.5 +2.1

Finance, insurance, and real estate

9.3

9.2

8.7

+.1 +1.1

+.6 +6.9

Services

34.6

34.5

34.7

+.1 +0.3

-.1 -0.3

Government

21.6

21.4

21.1

+.2 +0.9

+.5 +2.4

Federal

5.6

5.4

5.8

+.2 +3.7

-.2 -3.4

State and local

16.0

16.0

15.3

+.0 +0.0

+.7 +4.6

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

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

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

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

Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis

8

Macon Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary Revised Revised AUG 2001 JUL 2001 AUG 2000

Change in Jobs from JUL 2001 Net %

Change in Jobs from AUG 2000
Net %

Total nonagricultural employment

152.0

150.7

151.7

+1.3 +0.9

+.3 +0.2

Goods producing industries

26.9

26.7

26.6

+.2 +0.7

+.3 +1.1

Mining

.9

.9

.8

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +12.5

Contract construction

6.8

6.7

6.6

+.1 +1.5

+.2 +3.0

Manufacturing

19.2

19.1

19.2

+.1 +0.5

+.0 +0.0

Durable goods

9.4

9.4

9.5

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -1.1

Nondurable goods

9.8

9.7

9.7

+.1 +1.0

+.1 +1.0

Food and kindred products

2.4

2.3

2.4

+.1 +4.3

+.0 +0.0

Textile and apparel products

.9

.9

.9

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Paper and allied products

1.6

1.6

1.5

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +6.7

Other nondurable goods

4.9

4.9

4.9

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

Service producing industries

125.1

124.0

125.1

+1.1 +0.9

+.0 +0.0

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

6.1

6.2

6.1

-.1 -1.6

+.0 +0.0

Wholesale and retail trade

36.3

36.1

35.3

+.2 +0.6

+1.0 +2.8

Wholesale trade

5.2

5.2

5.0

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +4.0

Retail trade

31.1

30.9

30.3

+.2 +0.6

+.8 +2.6

Finance, insurance, and real estate

8.9

9.0

9.7

-.1 -1.1

-.8 -8.2

Services

40.5

40.4

41.3

+.1 +0.2

-.8 -1.9

Government

33.3

32.3

32.7

+1.0 +3.1

+.6 +1.8

Federal

14.4

14.3

13.9

+.1 +0.7

+.5 +3.6

State and local

18.9

18.0

18.8

+.9 +5.0

+.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 AUG 2001 JUL 2001 AUG 2000

Change in Jobs from JUL 2001 Net %

Change in Jobs from AUG 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

137.2 24.7 8.8 15.9 8.3 .9 5.0 2.4 7.6 1.5 3.2 1.5 .4 1.0
112.5

136.1 24.8 8.9 15.9 8.3 .9 5.0 2.4 7.6 1.5 3.2 1.5 .4 1.0
111.3

137.8 25.8 8.7 17.1 9.4 .9 6.1 2.4 7.7 1.4 3.5 1.4 .3 1.1
112.0

+1.1 +0.8 -.1 -0.4 -.1 -1.1 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0
+1.2 +1.1

-.6 -0.4 -1.1 -4.3 +.1 +1.1 -1.2 -7.0 -1.1 -11.7 +.0 +0.0 -1.1 -18.0 +.0 +0.0
-.1 -1.3 +.1 +7.1 -.3 -8.6 +.1 +7.1 +.1 +33.3 -.1 -9.1 +.5 +0.4

Transportation, communications,

and public utilities

9.6

9.6

9.5

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +1.1

Wholesale and retail trade

34.8

35.2

34.9

-.4 -1.1

-.1 -0.3

Wholesale trade

5.4

5.5

5.5

-.1 -1.8

-.1 -1.8

Retail trade

29.4

29.7

29.4

-.3 -1.0

+.0 +0.0

Finance, insurance, and real estate

4.6

4.6

4.7

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -2.1

Services

43.2

42.9

43.1

+.3 +0.7

+.1 +0.2

Government

20.3

19.0

19.8

+1.3 +6.8

+.5 +2.5

Federal

2.6

2.7

2.9

-.1 -3.7

-.3 -10.3

State and local

17.7

16.3

16.9

+1.4 +8.6

+.8 +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 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

Georgia's unemployment rate

declines in August

6.0%

Unemployment rates -- Georgia and U.S.

Georgia's unemployment rate, at 3.8 per-

Georgia

U.S.

cent, was on the decline in August after 5.0% posting an over-the-month drop of two-

tenths of a percent from July's revised

rate of 4.0 percent. As expected, sea-

sonal factors influenced the moderate 4.0%

decline in August preserving an uninter-

rupted long-term trend that began in

1979. The trend actually began thirtytwo years ago in 1970 when the rate began

3.0%

dropping from July to August every year

until 1978. That's the year the state's

jobless rate shifted from its downward 2.0%

trending and posted the first and only over-the-month July-to-August increase of the entire thirty-two year cycle. Essen-

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

2000

2001

tially unchanged over the year, Georgia's

rate was 3.8 percent in August 2000.

At one and one-tenth percentage points was at its lowest level in twelve months.

below the nation's rate in August, the The state's civilian employed dropped by

The U.S. unemployment rate (not season- state's jobless rate has prevailed below more than 51,000 or 1.3 percent, caused

ally adjusted), at 4.9 percent in August, the U.S. rate for the past ten months. One primarily by a seasonal decline in nona-

rose two-tenths percentage point over the year ago, the national rate was 4.1 percent. gricultural employment. Although nona-

month resisting the 51-year national trend for the first time ever. Prior to this year's increase, the nation's rate had declined from July to August and had altered from that trend only twice during a 53-year span that began and ended in 1948 and 2000, respectively. The two times the

An over-the-month decline in the number of persons receiving unemployment insurance (UI) benefits during the reference week in August was partly responsible for the July-to-August decline in the total number of unemployed persons. A

gricultural employment is the major component of civilian employment, the drop in August was also slightly influenced by an over-the-month decline in the number of self-employed, unpaid family, and private household workers.

nation's jobless rate shifted from this seasonal decline in the number of job seeklong-term July-to-August trend was in ers was also a contributing factor to the

Area data

1962 and 1979 when the rate remained essentially unchanged over the month. At 4.9 percent in August, the U.S. unemployment rate was at its highest level in nearly three and a half years. While Georgia continues to register relatively low unemployment rates, it also continued to maintain its favorable position when compared to the nation as a whole.

state's lower unemployment levels as young people returned to school in August. At more than 160,000, Georgia's total count of unemployed dropped by more than 9,000 or 5.5 percent in August to a three-month low.
Georgia's total civilian employment, at slightly more than 4.0 million in August,

The unemployment rates in six of Georgia's seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) mirrored the statewide trend and declined from July to August. Following the reclamation of the top spot last month, Athens, at 3.0 percent, held firm in that position and posted the lowest rate of all metro areas for the second straight month. At 5.1 percent, Albany,

after a brief one-month respite, moved

Southeastern states and U.S. unemployment rates
Percent 8

back to the forefront with the highest rate in August.

July

Au gu s t

7

6

5.0

5 4.7

4.4 4.4

5.2 4.7

5.0 4.7

5.4 5.1 5.6 5.4

4.4 4.3 4.7 4.9

4

4.0 3.8

3

2

1

0

AL

FL

GA

KY

MS

NC

SC

TN

US

In most of the counties in Georgia, the unemployment situation improved in August. Jobless rates in 110 counties took their lead from the state and declined over the month. While only twelve counties saw their unemployment rates remain unchanged in August, the remaining thirty-seven counties registered increases. However, of those thirty-seven, no county posted an over-the-month increase greater than one percentage point. For the third straight month, Telfair County, at 12.7 percent, registered the highest rate of all counties in the state. Oconee County, at 1.6 percent, had the lowest rate.

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 AUG 2001
4,174,646 4,014,219
160,427 3.8

Revised JUL 2001
4,235,171 4,065,441
169,730 4.0

Revised AUG 2000
4,170,188 4,010,711
159,477 3.8

Change From

Revised

Revised

JUL 2001

AUG 2000

-60,525 -51,222
-9,303

4,458 3,508
950

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

56,230 53,381
2,849 5.1

57,296 54,306
2,990 5.2

56,380 52,659
3,721 6.6

-1,066 -925 -141

-150 722 -872

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

71,701 69,550
2,151 3.0

72,935 70,551
2,384 3.3

73,064 71,223
1,841 2.5

-1,234 -1,001
-233

-1,363 -1,673
310

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

2,290,455 2,210,957
79,498 3.5

2,315,901 2,236,949
78,952 3.4

2,261,440 2,191,019
70,421 3.1

-25,446 -25,992
546

29,015 19,938
9,077

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

209,318 199,674
9,644 4.6

216,541 201,682
14,859 6.9

210,050 199,650
10,400 5.0

-7,223 -2,008 -5,215

-732 24
-756

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

128,487 122,241
6,246 4.9

129,442 122,512
6,930 5.4

127,089 120,832
6,257 4.9

-955 -271 -684

1,398 1,409
-11

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

152,694 147,085
5,609 3.7

153,101 147,204
5,897 3.9

151,929 145,626
6,303 4.1

-407 -119 -288

765 1,459
-694

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

134,893 130,746
4,147 3.1

135,875 131,269
4,606 3.4

135,954 130,394
5,560 4.1

-982 -523 -459

-1,061 352
-1,413

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

Area

Employment Status

AUG 2001

JUL 2001

AUG 2000

Change From

JUL 2001

AUG 2000

United States
(Seasonally adjusted)

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

141,350,000 134,393,000
6,957,000 4.9

141,774,000 135,379,000
6,395,000 4.5

140,724,000 134,939,000
5,785,000 4.1

-424,000 -986,000 562,000

626,000 -546,000 1,172,000

United States
(Not Seasonally adjusted)

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

141,862,000 134,905,000
6,956,000 4.9

143,181,000 136,385,000
6,797,000 4.7

141,425,000 135,601,000
5,824,000 4.1

-1,319,000 -1,480,000
159,000

437,000 -696,000 1,132,000

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 Eight

Much like the peaceful flowing waters of the lower Chattahoochee River, which serves as its western border, Service Delivery Region Eight remains relatively unchanged by time. With the exception of the Columbus metropolitan area, its citizens are sparsely scattered amongst the small towns and rural landscapes which comprise the vast majority of this portion of southeastern Georgia. Stretching southward from Harris to Clay County along the Alabama border and eastward as far as Dooly and Crisp Counties, this sixteen county area has managed to hold its own economically. SDR Eight has actually bucked the two dominant trends of recent years by posting virtually no net losses in manufacturing jobs nor gains in service sector jobs. It is a testament to the tenacity and hard work of its people that it has been able to at least maintain the status quo in the face of minimal population growth. With roughly half the populace and employment located in and around Muscogee County, one cannot discount the positive effect of that area on the region as a whole. Particularly of note is the huge military presence of Fort Benning, one of the Army's largest posts. Providing thousands of jobs, both military and civilian, the sprawling facility has an

estimated economic impact on the area of over 1.7 billion dollars annually. It provides an economic anchor for the region that helps keep it on solid footing.
The total population of the area increased only 3.4 percent between 1995 and 2000, totaling just over 353,000 people in the recently released Census Bureau figures. This was only about one- fourth as rapid an increase as was enjoyed by the state on the whole. The labor force grew at a sharply higher rate (9.9 %), indicating a dramatic increase in labor force participation among the citizens. The population shifts were somewhat of a mixed bag, with five counties posting net losses. Chattahoochee County posted a loss of over 1,000 people, most likely due to changes in military strength. Harris, Muscogee and Sumter Counties all reported gains in excess of 2,000 people over that same period, with other counties recording lesser increases.
As stated earlier, Service Delivery Region Eight has somehow managed to maintain job stability in the face of other negative influences. Just holding on to its manufacturing jobs in recent years is a remarkable feat. How has the region accom-

plished this? The answer lies partially in the diversity of its industry mix. Unlike many areas, which rely on one or two types of manufacturing facilities, SDR Eight has been prudent enough to seek out a much wider variety of manufacturers than they once had. Not putting all their eggs in one basket, so to speak, has helped the region weather the economic storms that have devastated less diversified geographies. Local planners and officials also recognized early on the downsizing of America's manufacturing sector, and worked hard to attract companies engaged in banking, insurance and communications activities. Over the past several years the unemployment rates across the region have consistently been about one and a half percentage points higher than the statewide average. While this might be less than desirable, the vast majority of counties in SDR Eight have kept their jobless rates at least manageable, generally under six percent. Many such rural areas across the nation would be very happy to post rates in that range. Spectacular growth may continue to be the goal of economic developers across the country, but SDR Eight remains living proof that there is something to be said for stability as well.

Dooly County Courthouse, Vienna, Georgia
12

Spotlight: Service Delivery Region Eight

SDR #8

Population/labor force growth -- SDR 8

H a r ris

Talbot

Muscogee

Taylor

Chattahoo- Marion

Macon

chee

S c h ley

Stewart

Sumter

D o o ly

W eb s te r

Quitm a n R an d o lp h

Crisp

Clay

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

1995

P op ulation

Labor Force

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

Career Centers
Americus .............. (229) 931-2520 Columbus ............. (706) 649-7423 Cordele ................. (229) 276-2355

Unemployment rates -- Georgia vs SDR 8

8.0

SDR 8

Georgia

7.0

6.0

5.0

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

Employment 50,000

Key industry employment 1997 vs 2000

45,000

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 4%

Government 19%
Services 26%

Manufacturing 19%
Trade 21%

Mining 0%

TPU 4%

FIRE 6%

13

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

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

County
Georgia

Preliminary August 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

4,174,646 4,014,219 160,427

3.8

Revised July 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

4,235,171 4,065,441 169,730 4.0

Appling Atkinson Bacon Baker Baldwin

8,352 7,660 692 8.3

3,431 3,259 172 5.0

4,225 4,013 212 5.0

1,703 1,622

81 4.8

17,167 16,582 585 3.4

8,590 3,548 4,351 1,724 17,431

7,804 3,323 4,093 1,650 16,876

786 9.2 225 6.3 258 5.9
74 4.3 555 3.2

Banks Barrow Bartow Ben Hill Berrien

6,289 6,113 176 2.8 22,104 21,189 915 4.1 41,133 39,579 1,554 3.8
9,210 8,777 433 4.7 7,161 6,858 303 4.2

6,498 22,569 41,817
9,404 7,373

6,231 21,438 40,044
8,948 6,987

267 4.1 1,131 5.0 1,773 4.2
456 4.8 386 5.2

Bibb Bleckley Brantley Brooks Bryan

72,928 69,988 2,940 4.0 5,711 5,458 253 4.4 5,817 5,435 382 6.6 7,682 7,343 339 4.4
11,087 10,844 243 2.2

73,171 70,045 3,126 4.3

5,856 5,559

297 5.1

5,892 5,534

358 6.1

7,870 7,479

391 5.0

11,163 10,887

276 2.5

Bulloch Burke Butts Calhoun Camden

27,336 26,335 1,001 3.7 8,530 7,815 715 8.4 8,354 7,996 358 4.3 2,357 2,211 146 6.2
16,699 16,167 532 3.2

27,877 8,803 8,568 2,548
17,009

26,826 7,958 8,142 2,256
16,459

1,051 3.8 845 9.6 426 5.0 292 11.5 550 3.2

Candler

4,075 3,922 153 3.8

Carroll

46,002 43,964 2,038 4.4

Catoosa

27,076 26,425 651 2.4

Charlton

3,778 3,629 149 3.9

Chatham 105,454 101,998 3,456 3.3

4,182 46,711 27,340 3,846 106,259

3,998 44,481 26,711
3,695 102,406

184 4.4 2,230 4.8
629 2.3 151 3.9 3,853 3.6

Chattahoochee 2,434 2,287 147 6.0

Chattooga 11,885 11,370 515 4.3

Cherokee

84,102 82,093 2,009 2.4

Clarke

45,260 43,743 1,517 3.4

Clay

1,559 1,485

74 4.7

2,455 12,009 84,860 45,995
1,609

2,296 11,575 83,058 44,373 1,516

159 6.5 434 3.6 1,802 2.1 1,622 3.5
93 5.8

Clayton Clinch Cobb Coffee Colquitt

128,340 123,268 5,072 4.0 3,685 3,517 168 4.6
368,537 357,397 11,140 3.0 20,911 20,043 868 4.2 19,659 18,723 936 4.8

129,828 124,717 5,111 3.9

3,792 3,584

208 5.5

372,445 361,599 10,846 2.9

21,374 20,427

947 4.4

21,088 19,092 1,996 9.5

Columbia Cook Coweta Crawford Crisp

44,929 43,843 1,086 2.4 7,915 7,559 356 4.5
47,636 46,105 1,531 3.2 5,545 5,327 218 3.9 9,844 9,335 509 5.2

45,431 44,274 1,157 2.5

8,059 7,701

358 4.4

48,555 46,647 1,908 3.9

5,638 5,422

216 3.8

10,040 9,519

521 5.2

Revised August 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

4,170,188 4,010,711 159,477

3.8

8,196 3,387 4,309 1,589 18,528

7,437 3,141 4,102 1,520 17,692

759 9.3 246 7.3 207 4.8
69 4.3 836 4.5

6,449 6,239

210 3.3

21,615 20,998

617 2.9

40,654 39,222 1,432 3.5

9,402 8,839

563 6.0

6,433 6,124

309 4.8

72,596 69,294 3,302 4.5

5,849 5,661

188 3.2

6,510 6,038

472 7.3

7,940 7,401

539 6.8

11,210 10,815

395 3.5

26,889 8,978 9,259 2,488
17,004

26,116 8,296 8,641 2,273 16,421

773 2.9 682 7.6 618 6.7 215 8.6 583 3.4

3,886 3,673

213 5.5

45,345 43,567 1,778 3.9

27,164 26,468

696 2.6

4,014 3,686

328 8.2

106,235 101,723 4,512 4.2

2,443 2,261

182 7.4

11,875 11,511

364 3.1

83,077 81,353 1,724 2.1

46,058 44,796 1,262 2.7

1,565 1,471

94 6.0

126,990 122,156 4,834 3.8

3,477 3,289

188 5.4

363,297 354,174 9,123 2.5

21,008 19,777 1,231 5.9

19,411 18,390 1,021 5.3

44,815 43,667 1,148 2.6

8,296 7,923

373 4.5

47,062 45,689 1,373 2.9

6,133 5,876

257 4.2

9,540 9,041

499 5.2

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 August 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,498 7,300 198 2.6 14,756 14,508 248 1.7 12,076 11,412 664 5.5 370,670 355,035 15,635 4.2
9,760 9,295 465 4.8

Revised July 2001

Revised August 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,644 7,380

264 3.5

15,027 14,743

284 1.9

12,430 11,629

801 6.4

374,677 359,209 15,468 4.1

9,931 9,446

485 4.9

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,500 7,312 188 2.5

17,408 17,126

282 1.6

11,954 11,062

892 7.5

365,950 351,834 14,116 3.9

9,933 9,447 486 4.9

Dooly Dougherty Douglas Early Echols

4,654 4,390 264 5.7

44,219 41,768 2,451 5.5

53,383 51,992 1,391 2.6

4,731 4,474 257 5.4

1,290 1,210

80 6.2

4,788 4,477

311 6.5

45,098 42,492 2,606 5.8

54,030 52,604 1,426 2.6

4,888 4,562

326 6.7

1,311 1,232

79 6.0

4,556 4,252

304 6.7

44,434 41,203 3,231 7.3

52,869 51,524 1,345 2.5

4,786 4,358

428 8.9

1,351 1,219

132 9.8

Effingham Elbert Emanuel Evans Fannin

18,352 17,904 448 2.4 8,755 8,184 571 6.5 8,541 7,835 706 8.3 4,902 4,753 149 3.0 8,677 8,395 282 3.2

18,453 8,937 8,896 5,030 8,851

17,976 8,342 7,966 4,846 8,533

477 2.6 595 6.7 930 10.5 184 3.7 318 3.6

18,509 9,000 8,696 5,054 9,338

17,856 8,332 7,931 4,756 9,076

653 3.5 668 7.4 765 8.8 298 5.9 262 2.8

Fayette Floyd Forsyth Franklin Fulton

52,007 51,066 941 1.8 44,012 42,308 1,704 3.9 56,614 55,289 1,325 2.3 10,376 9,913 463 4.5 416,587 398,232 18,355 4.4

52,642 51,666

976 1.9 51,561 50,606

955 1.9

44,746 43,059 1,687 3.8 44,987 43,309 1,678 3.7

57,144 55,939 1,205 2.1 55,645 54,791

854 1.5

10,620 10,105

515 4.8 10,541 10,141

400 3.8

420,405 402,914 17,491 4.2 410,980 394,641 16,339 4.0

Gilmer Glascock Glynn Gordon Grady

8,354 8,104 250 3.0

977

926

51 5.2

34,747 33,576 1,171 3.4

22,312 21,202 1,110 5.0

9,642 9,237 405 4.2

8,471 8,266

205 2.4

992

943

49 4.9

35,385 34,213 1,172 3.3

22,865 21,594 1,271 5.6

10,021 9,400

621 6.2

8,132 7,897

235 2.9

997

964

33 3.3

35,768 34,470 1,298 3.6

22,638 21,799

839 3.7

9,290 8,677

613 6.6

Greene

5,827 5,524 303 5.2

Gwinnett

351,083 340,709 10,374 3.0

Habersham

16,273 15,823 450 2.8

Hall

71,688 69,584 2,104 2.9

Hancock

3,871 3,521 350 9.0

5,882 5,630

252 4.3

5,705 5,421

284 5.0

354,869 344,715 10,154 2.9 345,723 337,637 8,086 2.3

16,711 16,126

585 3.5 15,755 15,269

486 3.1

73,024 70,702 2,322 3.2 74,454 72,781 1,673 2.2

3,962 3,583

379 9.6

4,012 3,626

386 9.6

Haralson Harris Hart Heard Henry

9,579 9,040 539 5.6 12,264 11,932 332 2.7
9,516 8,950 566 5.9 4,761 4,483 278 5.8 64,743 63,136 1,607 2.5

9,706 9,187

519 5.3

12,367 11,977

390 3.2

9,756 9,120

636 6.5

4,921 4,556

365 7.4

65,507 63,878 1,629 2.5

9,961 9,541

420 4.2

12,152 11,796

356 2.9

9,932 9,521

411 4.1

4,667 4,438

229 4.9

64,080 62,567 1,513 2.4

Houston Irwin Jackson Jasper Jeff Davis

52,156 50,598 1,558 3.0 4,988 4,689 299 6.0
22,914 22,171 743 3.2 4,797 4,617 180 3.8 5,750 5,065 685 11.9

52,261 5,116
23,583 4,885 5,804

50,638 4,780
22,593 4,692 5,162

1,623 3.1 336 6.6 990 4.2 193 4.0 642 11.1

51,907 50,096 1,811 3.5

5,037 4,722

315 6.3

23,136 22,493

643 2.8

4,847 4,665

182 3.8

5,234 4,903

331 6.3

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 August 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,256 6,651 605 8.3 4,542 4,292 250 5.5 3,502 3,286 216 6.2 12,058 11,714 344 2.9 6,877 6,538 339 4.9

Revised July 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

7,688 4,664 3,569 12,071 6,955

6,773 4,365 3,347 11,723 6,643

915 11.9 299 6.4 222 6.2 348 2.9 312 4.5

Lanier Laurens Lee Liberty Lincoln

3,528 3,416 112 3.2 21,982 20,964 1,018 4.6 12,011 11,613 398 3.3 16,670 15,799 871 5.2
3,667 3,306 361 9.8

3,609 22,384 12,198 17,005
3,794

3,480 21,354 11,814 16,076
3,368

129 3.6 1,030 4.6
384 3.1 929 5.5 426 11.2

Long Lowndes Lumpkin McDuffie McIntosh

3,575 3,485

90 2.5

42,637 41,298 1,339 3.1

10,872 10,603 269 2.5

9,694 9,144 550 5.7

4,711 4,529 182 3.9

3,645 43,738 11,024 10,005
4,798

3,546 42,065 10,778
9,233 4,614

99 2.7 1,673 3.8
246 2.2 772 7.7 184 3.8

Macon

5,431 5,087 344 6.3

Madison

13,295 12,868 427 3.2

Marion

3,328 3,194 134 4.0

Meriwether

9,069 8,486 583 6.4

Miller

3,246 3,150

96 3.0

5,543 13,545
3,410 9,266 3,346

5,185 13,053
3,257 8,624 3,212

358 6.5 492 3.6 153 4.5 642 6.9 134 4.0

Mitchell

11,645 11,127 518 4.4

Monroe

7,391 7,035 356 4.8

Montgomery 3,846 3,532 314 8.2

Morgan

7,105 6,886 219 3.1

Murray

18,749 17,989 760 4.1

11,951 7,495 3,953 7,234 19,044

11,343 7,148 3,598 7,022 18,275

608 5.1 347 4.6 355 9.0 212 2.9 769 4.0

Muscogee 87,231 82,990 4,241 4.9

Newton

31,167 30,092 1,075 3.4

Oconee

13,146 12,939 207 1.6

Oglethorpe

6,181 5,948 233 3.8

Paulding

44,013 42,964 1,049 2.4

88,301 31,522 13,394
6,272 44,488

83,303 30,446 13,125
6,058 43,469

4,998 5.7 1,076 3.4
269 2.0 214 3.4 1,019 2.3

Peach Pickens Pierce Pike Polk

11,278 10,758 520 4.6 11,317 11,054 263 2.3 7,494 7,205 289 3.9 6,708 6,462 246 3.7 15,839 15,124 715 4.5

11,287 11,472 7,640 6,844 16,276

10,766 11,184 7,345 6,564 15,367

521 4.6 288 2.5 295 3.9 280 4.1 909 5.6

Pulaski Putnam Quitman Rabun Randolph

4,778 4,390 388 8.1

9,447 9,167 280 3.0

1,318 1,233

85 6.4

7,065 6,942 123 1.7

3,126 2,871 255 8.2

4,883 9,678 1,355 7,230 3,286

4,463 9,316 1,255 7,086 2,932

420 8.6 362 3.7 100 7.4 144 2.0 354 10.8

16

Revised August 2000

Labor Employ-

Force

ment

Unemployment Number Rate

7,250 4,586 3,698 11,995 6,758

6,665 4,354 3,383 11,598 6,267

585 8.1 232 5.1 315 8.5 397 3.3 491 7.3

3,684 22,377 11,946 18,220
3,048

3,443 21,137 11,456 17,005
2,813

241 6.5 1,240 5.5
490 4.1 1,215 6.7
235 7.7

3,856 44,519 11,236
9,712 4,560

3,751 41,627 11,051
9,107 4,323

105 2.7 2,892 6.5
185 1.6 605 6.2 237 5.2

5,797 13,581
3,434 9,259 3,161

5,170 13,177
3,296 8,787 2,968

627 10.8 404 3.0 138 4.0 472 5.1 193 6.1

12,139 8,753 3,804 7,450
19,973

11,369 8,292 3,466 7,094 19,391

770 6.3 461 5.3 338 8.9 356 4.8 582 2.9

86,458 30,812 13,426
6,187 43,495

82,043 29,820 13,250
6,035 42,576

4,415 5.1 992 3.2 176 1.3 152 2.5 919 2.1

11,249 11,253 7,682 6,693 17,180

10,651 10,954
7,301 6,340 16,584

598 5.3 299 2.7 381 5.0 353 5.3 596 3.5

4,566 9,518 1,534 7,396 3,313

4,392 9,258 1,459 7,263 3,084

174 3.8 260 2.7
75 4.9 133 1.8 229 6.9

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 August 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

80,007 75,717 4,290 5.4

40,306 39,288 1,018 2.5

1,784 1,705

79 4.4

6,219 5,686 533 8.6

4,651 4,468 183 3.9

Revised July 2001

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

81,658 40,776
1,806 6,443 4,746

76,461 39,750
1,732 5,801 4,557

5,197 6.4 1,026 2.5
74 4.1 642 10.0 189 4.0

Revised August 2000

Labor Employ- Unemployment

Force

ment Number Rate

80,589 75,413 5,176 6.4

39,929 38,934 995 2.5

1,829 1,760

69 3.8

6,027 5,596 431 7.2

4,838 4,567 271 5.6

30,029 28,780 1,249 4.2 12,145 11,521 624 5.1
2,301 2,187 114 5.0 15,630 14,718 912 5.8
2,941 2,748 193 6.6

30,520 12,452
2,363 15,794
3,008

29,118 11,730 2,229 14,997 2,792

1,402 4.6 722 5.8 134 5.7 797 5.0 216 7.2

30,826 28,520 2,306 7.5 11,679 11,295 384 3.3 2,416 2,283 133 5.5 15,232 14,456 776 5.1 3,043 2,847 196 6.4

736 7,504 3,978 5,541 3,976

674 7,211 3,760 4,837 3,643

62 8.4 293 3.9 218 5.5 704 12.7 333 8.4

770 7,664 4,070 5,767 4,030

690 7,352 3,833 4,931 3,716

80 10.4 312 4.1 237 5.8 836 14.5 314 7.8

850 7,466 3,781 5,211 4,212

800 6,828 3,579 4,509 3,790

50 5.9 638 8.5 202 5.3 702 13.5 422 10.0

21,902 21,128 774 3.5

20,852 20,018 834 4.0

12,454 11,602 852 6.8

3,654 3,580

74 2.0

2,807 2,605 202 7.2

22,437 21,320 12,729
3,736 2,851

21,534 20,403 11,818
3,655 2,654

903 4.0 917 4.3 911 7.2
81 2.2 197 6.9

21,774 20,637 12,802
4,300 2,930

20,565 19,690 11,387
4,179 2,557

1,209 5.6 947 4.6
1,415 11.1 121 2.8 373 12.7

30,338 28,722 1,616 5.3 4,363 3,996 367 8.4 4,275 4,028 247 5.8 7,676 7,508 168 2.2
13,936 12,313 1,623 11.6

30,789 4,511 4,311 7,825
14,209

29,247 4,083 4,031 7,668
12,541

1,542 5.0 428 9.5 280 6.5 157 2.0
1,668 11.7

30,839 29,569 1,270 4.1 4,180 3,835 345 8.3 4,183 3,988 195 4.7 7,747 7,510 237 3.1
12,382 11,673 709 5.7

31,791 30,657 1,134 3.6 30,685 29,725 960 3.1 15,682 15,001 681 4.3
2,783 2,539 244 8.8 9,454 9,087 367 3.9

32,206 31,065 16,061
3,000 9,704

30,989 30,074 15,281
2,585 9,251

1,217 3.8 991 3.2 780 4.9 415 13.8 453 4.7

31,985 30,707 1,278 4.0 30,277 29,456 821 2.7 16,081 15,236 845 5.3
2,661 2,476 185 7.0 9,772 9,283 489 5.0

11,372 10,801 571 5.0

1,087 1,055

32 2.9

2,200 2,022 178 8.1

9,193 8,985 208 2.3

46,232 44,503 1,729 3.7

11,641 11,007

634 5.4

1,113 1,077

36 3.2

2,277 2,060

217 9.5

9,413 9,167

246 2.6

47,141 45,298 1,843 3.9

11,804 11,034 770 6.5

1,129 1,090

39 3.5

2,121 1,884 237 11.2

9,160 8,848 312 3.4

47,757 46,236 1,521 3.2

3,439 3,240 199 5.8 5,993 5,410 583 9.7 4,382 4,183 199 4.5 9,553 9,012 541 5.7

3,510 6,116 4,478 9,784

3,304 5,501 4,256 9,187

206 5.9 615 10.1 222 5.0 597 6.1

3,293 5,452 4,697 9,289

3,138 5,165 4,432 8,778

155 4.7 287 5.3 265 5.6 511 5.5

17

New Developments

Oglethorpe Power Corporation recently began prepa-
rations for its new $280-million natural gas-powered energy plant in Talbotton. Based in Tucker, GA, Oglethorpe Power is a not-for-profit corporation that is owned by thirty-nine Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) across Georgia and supplies retail electric service to more than 3.4 million Georgians. After months of studies and public meetings, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) recently granted Oglethorpe Power an air quality permit giving the company the go-ahead to begin construction. The actual facility will occupy only 25 acres of a 200-acre site and the rest will be maintained as a buffer. The plant will be staffed by 8 - 12 full-time employees and will provide peak electricity primarily during the hot summer months and occasionally in very cold weather. It will use cleanburning, low emission natural gas featuring the latest in technology to assure clean, safe, unobtrusive and efficient operation. The first four of the facility's planned six natural gas-fired units are expected to be ready for operation by next summer, with the remaining two units scheduled for the summer of 2003 in Talbot County.
Talbots recently celebrated the grand opening of its newest
store at Colonial Beechwood Promenade on Alps Road in Athens. The new Athens store, which occupies 4,543 square feet of retail space, is filled with ladies' sportswear, career separates, casual wear and dresses in petite and misses sizes. The store also carries women's accessories such as belts and handbags. Talbots, a women's specialty retailer, was founded in 1947 and began operations in a 17th century colonial frame house in Hingham, Massachusetts, a town just south of Boston. The retailer currently has 749 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. On the night before the grand opening, Talbots held a preview opening and donated a portion of all its sales to the Junior League of Athens. When the new Athens store is in full operation, it is expected to employ between 8 - 15 people in Clarke County.
John Bleakley Motor Homes recently held a grand
opening celebration of its new dealership in Unadilla. Bleakley is one of the nation's largest motor home and recreational vehicle sales organizations and features such brands as Winnebago and Ltasca and the LXI and LX models of the Blue Bird Wanderlope, manufactured in nearby Fort Valley. The new facility's close proximity

to I-75 was an added incentive for the Unadilla location because thousands of motor home owners and prospective customers travel south along the I-75 corridor. Renovations were necessary to convert an existing structure, the Unadilla Industrial Building, into the company's new 41,250-square-foot sales and service facility. Initially, Bleakley is expected to bring about 20 new jobs to the area. However, that number could eventually increase to 40 as business picks up in Dooly County.
Arriscraft International Inc. will soon make its debut
in Roberta. Arriscraft's new over-$6-million plant will use sand and a specialized process to produce a stonelike product used in new building construction or in decoration of buildings. Headquartered in Cambridge, Ontario, Arriscraft currently operates two manufacturing plants in Canada and was shipping its product to cities as far south as Orlando, Florida. The new Roberta plant will allow the company product to be more conveniently distributed in the United States and particularly to the southeastern states. Currently under construction, the company's new facility is expected to be completed by the first of the year creating as many as 100 new jobs in Crawford County.
The J-M Manufacturing Company and Micro Flo
Company are expanding in Adel. Currently underway, J-M's expansion plans include a warehouse distribution center for fiberglass doors and a manufacturing shop for polyethylene pipe to be used for fiber optic duct or conduit. Formed in 1982, J-M is the largest manufacturer of PVC pipe in the United States and has the most modern PVC pipe production facilities in North America. It is a subsidiary of Formosa Plastics USA, the world's largest plastic resin manufacturer, with more than $15 billion in sales. Micro Flo recently broke ground on its new multi-purpose facility on Highway 41 North near Sparks. The new plant will be 100 feet long, 60 feet wide and 60 feet long. Micro Flo is a leading manufacturer of insecticides, fungicides and plant growth regulators and will process chemicals through the new facility to produce a dust-free product. The company is expected to begin production by November. When completed, the final results of the combined expansions at J-M Manufacturing and Micro Flo will be the creation of nearly 100 new jobs, giving a welcomed economic boost to the local area in Cook County.

18

Georgia Unemployment Rates by County

August 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 3.8% to 9.9% Less than 3.8%

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: 3.8%
19

Georgia Unemployment Insurance Claims by County

County

August Average Initial Weekly Average
Claims Benefit Duration

County

August Average Initial Weekly Average
Claims Benefit Duration

Appling

107 ..... $207 ...... 9.5

Atkinson

98 ..... $178 ...... 8.8

Bacon

76 ..... $200 ...... 8.3

Baker

13 ..... $179 .... 10.5

Baldwin

247 ..... $162 .... 11.3

Banks

142 ..... $213 ...... 6.5

Barrow

263 ..... $213 .... 10.0

Bartow

571 ..... $210 ...... 8.1

Ben Hill

80 ..... $163 ...... 9.5

Berrien

37 ..... $179 ...... 7.3

Bibb

558 ..... $181 .... 10.4

Bleckley

95 ..... $152 ...... 7.9

Brantley

85 ..... $205 .... 11.9

Brooks

140 ..... $176 ...... 9.1

Bryan

39 ..... $233 ...... 9.7

Bulloch

319 ..... $199 ...... 9.1

Burke

248 ..... $178 ...... 8.5

Butts

140 ..... $198 .... 11.9

Calhoun

42 ..... $169 ...... 7.4

Camden

72 ..... $181 .... 11.4

Candler

60 ..... $202 ...... 8.0

Carroll

797 ..... $202 .... 10.4

Catoosa

297 ..... $221 ...... 6.5

Charlton

14 ..... $178 .... 13.4

Chatham

651 ..... $178 .... 10.6

Chattahoochee 15 ..... $191 .... 12.0

Chattooga

167 ..... $189 .... 11.0

Cherokee

395 ..... $238 ...... 8.9

Clarke

351 ..... $181 .... 10.8

Clay

19 ..... $214 ...... 9.4

Clayton

1,494 ..... $217 .... 11.0

Clinch

23 ..... $174 .... 14.0

Cobb

2,006 ..... $237 .... 11.7

Coffee

474 ..... $171 ...... 8.9

Colquitt

273 ..... $163 ...... 8.4

Columbia

219 ..... $209 .... 10.0

Cook

85 ..... $158 ...... 8.2

Coweta

437 ..... $216 ...... 8.4

Crawford

60 ..... $209 ...... 8.8

Crisp

158 ..... $175 ...... 9.7

Dade

18 ..... $227 ...... 5.1

Dawson

53 ..... $214 ...... 9.3

Decatur

122 ..... $168 ...... 9.2

DeKalb

3,197 ..... $223 .... 11.6

Dodge

96 ..... $183 ...... 9.3

Dooly

104 ..... $172 .... 10.1

Dougherty

410 ..... $124 .... 12.9

Douglas

374 ..... $258 .... 10.9

Early

42 ..... $166 .... 10.0

Echols

7 ..... $190 .... 11.4

Effingham

83 ..... $221 ...... 9.6

Elbert

149 ..... $174 ...... 6.5

Emanuel

112 ..... $158 .... 10.8

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

42 ..... $189 ...... 8.8 352 ..... $218 ...... 7.4 220 ..... $230 ...... 9.5 749 ..... $203 ...... 7.3 297 ..... $244 ...... 9.7 364 ..... $201 ...... 6.5 3,773 ..... $219 .... 11.7 138 ..... $212 ...... 6.3
15 ..... $181 ...... 7.6 231 ..... $196 .... 12.8 276 ..... $212 ...... 7.4
80 ..... $166 ...... 7.8 107 ..... $184 ...... 7.6 2,046 ..... $236 .... 10.6 536 ..... $196 ...... 6.8 755 ..... $208 ...... 7.4 118 ..... $156 .... 10.6 154 ...... $211 .... 10.4 145 ..... $222 ...... 9.0 384 ..... $195 ...... 5.8 129 ..... $214 ...... 7.9 491 ..... $227 .... 10.9 279 ..... $194 ...... 9.9
91 ..... $162 ...... 9.1 309 ..... $209 ...... 9.0
39 ..... $189 ...... 8.5 152 ..... $207 ...... 7.9 111 ..... $154 .... 11.0
43 ..... $173 ...... 8.4 80 ..... $157 ...... 9.4 90 ..... $199 ...... 8.5 167 ..... $197 ...... 7.9 29 ..... $173 ...... 9.0 332 ..... $162 ...... 6.8 91 ..... $204 ...... 9.4 112 ..... $159 .... 12.5 115 ..... $177 .... 10.5 10 ..... $170 .... 13.5 274 ..... $177 .... 11.1 107 ..... $203 ...... 6.3 335 ..... $194 ...... 7.4 30 ..... $186 .... 15.6 102 ..... $178 ...... 6.4 166 ..... $206 ...... 9.0 43 ..... $187 ...... 7.3 175 ..... $196 ...... 9.0 23 ..... $162 ...... 6.2 125 ..... $160 .... 10.5 136 ..... $206 ...... 9.1 51 ..... $194 .... 10.2 72 ..... $208 ...... 8.2 452 ..... $203 ...... 5.1 1,181 ..... $190 .... 10.3

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

August 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

274 ..... $210 ...... 9.1 67 ..... $207 ...... 8.7 85 ..... $204 ...... 8.6
277 ..... $227 .... 10.1 142 ..... $159 ...... 9.4 104 ..... $207 ...... 8.1
81 ..... $203 .... 10.3 74 ..... $202 ...... 8.6 416 ...... $211 ...... 6.7 32 ..... $171 .... 11.8 98 ..... $175 ...... 8.3
1 ..... $157 .... 14.4 38 ..... $190 ...... 5.5 189 ..... $170 ...... 8.0 893 ..... $181 .... 10.1 243 ..... $225 .... 11.1 17 ..... $191 ...... 8.8 114 ..... $204 ...... 8.7 42 ..... $172 ...... 9.3 431 ..... $194 ...... 9.1 451 ..... $199 ...... 6.1 30 ..... $159 .... 10.2 237 ..... $169 ...... 8.7 59 ..... $199 .... 11.9 36 ..... $188 ...... 6.7 47 ..... $189 .... 10.0 55 ..... $185 .... 10.6 58 ..... $173 .... 12.3 102 ..... $152 ...... 8.4 156 ..... $165 ...... 9.7 207 ..... $165 ...... 9.3 187 ..... $191 .... 11.7 19 ...... $211 ...... 8.4 54 ..... $170 .... 10.2 568 ..... $199 ...... 7.4 89 ..... $173 ...... 8.9 46 ..... $198 .... 10.4 73 ..... $206 ...... 7.7 428 ..... $197 .... 10.8 370 ..... $200 ...... 5.6 269 ..... $208 ...... 8.3 257 ..... $152 .... 10.5 95 ..... $184 ...... 9.0 75 ..... $156 .... 11.9 97 ..... $192 .... 10.4
8 ..... $166 .... 10.6 28 ..... $172 .... 10.4 186 ..... $203 ...... 7.8 1,053 ..... $200 ...... 5.1 48 ..... $173 ...... 7.4 347 ..... $187 ...... 9.2 57 ..... $176 .... 11.0 91 ..... $177 .... 10.2

Unemployment Insurance Statistics

Average duration of benefits

Weeks 1 0 .0

Last 12 months

9.5

9.1 9.0

9.0

8.8

8.7

9.2
8.9 8.7

8.5

8.5 8.5 8.5

8.5

8.4

8.0

7.5

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

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

Average duration of benefits continues to climb...

Claims activity for the month of August fell as seasonal layoffs in the manufacturing industry subsided. Next to January, July typically has the largest number of seasonal layoffs during the year, primarily in textiles and apparel manufacturing. Initial claims for August totaled 45,233, a 32.4 percent drop from July's figure of 66,942 (the largest total of new claims filings for the month of July since 1982). Georgia continued to see a large increase in the number of initial claims filed over the year, as new claims were up 47.9 percent when compared to last August.
Benefits paid totaled $51,564,963 during August, which represents a 15.0 percent decline from July, while advancing 73.1 percent from August 2000. The largest benefit payout for a major industry division was in services ($9,027,197), followed by manufacturing ($8,108,760) and trade ($4,677,774). Over the year, manufacturing ($3,843,325) and services ($3,386,424) experienced the largest net change in benefit payouts, while the transportation, communications & utilities industry (110.1 percent) had the largest percent change, from $797,604 benefits paid during August 2000 to this month's figure of $1,675,678.
The total number of weeks paid, 229,402 in August, fell 17.2 percent over the month, while growing 57.4 percent over the year. Total weeks of unemployment compensation during August included 40,792 weeks in services, followed by 35,192 weeks in manufacturing and 21,860 weeks in trade. Over the year, manufacturing (14,919 weeks) and services (12,812 weeks) experienced the

highest net change in total weeks paid, while transportation, communications & utilities (87.2 percent) had the largest percent change, from 3,613 weeks in August 2000 to this August's total of 7,763 weeks.
After falling from 8.5 weeks to 8.4 weeks from January to February of this year, the average duration of benefits has either held or increased for six consecutive months. This month's average of 9.2 weeks grew by 3.4 percent from July's average of 8.9 weeks. The last time there was an over-the-month jump of 0.3 weeks took place between December 1999 (9.0 weeks) and January 2000 (9.3 weeks). This month's duration was slightly up from last August's duration of 9.1 weeks. The average weekly benefit amount, $224.78 for August, rose 2.6 percent over the month ($5.73) and 10.0 percent over the year.
This month's total of separated workers receiving benefits slipped 18.8 percent over the month, from July's total of 92,238 to August's figure of 74,910, a reduction of 17,328 beneficiaries. Over the year, the total number of beneficiaries was up 68.3 percent, or 30,402 beneficiaries, from August 2000's total of 44,508. The trust fund balance, $1,704,659,218 during August, dropped to its lowest level in over four years. This month's fund balance fell 2.1 percent over the month and diminished 11.8 percent from last August's total of $1,932,008,433, a decline of $227,349,215.

Statistical Trends

August 2001

August 2000

Net Change

Percent Change

Initial Claims ............................................................ 45,233 ................................ 30,583 ................................ 14,650 ............................. 47.9% Continued Weeks Claimed .................................... 258,616 .............................. 145,886 .............................. 112,730 ............................. 77.3% Beneficiaries ............................................................ 74,910 ................................ 44,508 ................................ 30,402 ............................. 68.3% Benefits Paid .................................................. $51,564,963 ....................... $29,788,654 ....................... $21,776,309 ............................. 73.1% Weeks Paid ........................................................... 229,402 .............................. 145,757 ................................ 83,645 ............................. 57.4% First Payments ........................................................ 18,469 ................................ 15,411 .................................. 3,058 ............................. 19.8% Final Payments .......................................................... 6,047 .................................. 3,718 .................................. 2,329 ............................. 62.6% Average Weekly Benefit ........................................ $224.78 .............................. $204.37 ................................ $20.41 ............................. 10.0% Average Duration (weeks) ............................................. 9.2 ...................................... 9.1 ...................................... 0.1 ............................... 1.1% Trust Fund Balance ................................... $1,704,659,218 .................. $1,932,008,433 .................... -$227,349,215 ............................ -11.8%

21

22

WI&A Customer Satisfaction Team

We are proud to serve you. Please contact any team member should you need assistance regarding any of our products or publications.

Employment
Jan Mayo or Lili Stern: Current Employment by industry for State and MSAs, hours and earnings

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Bill Webb: Civilian Labor Force Statistics for State, MSAs and local areas plus Mass Layoff Statistics

Other Workforce Information Areas
Faye Duzan: The Workforce Investment Act and LMI, & training needs

Ann Hunter: Employment and Wages for State, MSAs and counties
Occupational & Career Information
Ridley Hubbard: Occupational employment, forecasts and wages
Elaine Hayes: Occupational Employment Survey

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Workforce.Info@dol.state.ga.us (404) 656-3177



Upcoming Events
Press Release Dates
September
Unemployment Insurance Claims ................ Oct. 11
Georgia Unemployment Rate/ Non-farm Employment ........ Oct. 18
Civilian Labor Force/Area Unemployment Rates ......... Oct. 25
October
Unemployment Insurance Claims ................. Nov. 8
Georgia Unemployment Rate/ Non-farm Employment ....... Nov. 15
Civilian Labor Force/Area Unemployment Rates ........ Nov. 22

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