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 Unemployment 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 Mark Watson: Unemployment Insurance Claims and issues Electronic Delivery Kenneth King: QuickStats! Corey Smith: QuickSource! 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