Dimensions: measuring Georgia's workforce, Vol. 29, no. 10 (Oct. 2003)

October 2003 Data
Highlights
Employment in Georgia continues to move in a positive direction....... page 2
Total jobs across the state climbs again in October.
Unemployment declines for fourth straight month ................Page 8
Civilian employment rose to its highest level ever in October.
Five MSAs and most of the counties mirrored the statewide trend this month and registered lower over-the-month unemployment rates.
New developments .................. Page 14
Initial claims drop below 40,000... Page 17
First time since November 2002 that initial claims have fallen below the 40,000 plateau.
WI&A Customer Satisfaction Team .................. page 19

Volume XXIX, Number 10
Data Tables
3 Georgia Nonagricultural Employment
4 Atlanta Nonagricultural Employment
5 Albany & Athens Nonagricultural Employment
6 Augusta-Aiken & Columbus Nonagricultural Employment
7 Macon & Savannah Nonagricultural Employment
9 Georgia, Metro Areas & U.S. Labor Force Estimates
10 Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County
15 Georgia Unemployment Rates by County
16 Georgia Unemployment Insurance Claims by County
Michael L. Thurmond, Commissioner Georgia Department of Labor Workforce Information & Analysis
148 Andrew Young International Blvd., N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1751 (404) 232-3875 Fax (404) 232-3888
Workforce_Info@dol.state.ga.us
Equal Opportunity Employer/Program Auxiliary Aids and Services Available upon
Request to Individuals with Disabilities

October Employment Situation

Total nonfarm employment in Georgia improved in October. With an increase of 4,900 jobs over the month, the employment situation for the state continued to recover. Since the same time last year, employment in Georgia has grown by 1.8 percent or 70,700 jobs. Positive employment growth in the state for the month is largely due to the increases in the Trade, Transportation and Utilities, Professional and Business Services, and Government sectors. Sectors of concern over the month include Manufacturing and Financial Activities.
The Construction sector showed an increase of three tenths percent in employment for October. This is a total increase of 700 jobs. The Construction of Buildings industry grew by 200 jobs, Specialty Trade Contractors picked up 100 employees, and Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction had an employment upturn of 400 jobs. The October level of total employment represents 18,100 more jobs in the Construction sector than in October of last year.
Manufacturing in Georgia has continued to suffer. October employment in this sector has dropped by 2,900 payroll employees for the month. There are also 24,100 fewer jobs in the Manufacturing sector now than in October last year, a drop of 5.1 percent. For the month, Durable Goods lost 600 jobs and Non-Durable Goods decreased in employment by 2,300 jobs. These two industries have, respectively, lost 7,800 (-3.8 %) and 16,300 (-6.1%) jobs over the year.
The Trade, Transportation and Utilities sector has continued its current trend of increased employment. For October, this sector added a total of 4,300 jobs to its payrolls. Over the year, the sector has lost 400 jobs. For the month, Wholesale Trade employment decreased by 1,100 jobs. Retail Trade employment reported an addition of 4,700 jobs for October while the Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities industry showed a rise of 700 jobs for the month.
In October, after losing employment last month, the Information sector grew in total employment by 1,200 jobs. The Telecommunications industry added an additional 300 employees in October, which is an over-the-year decrease of 500 jobs. The Internet Service Providers industry had no change in employment for the month but there are 1,000 more jobs in the industry now than in October last year. The Cable and Other Subscription Programming industry also experienced no change in employment for the month but its level of employment, currently at 5,800 jobs, is an over-the-year increase of 100 jobs.

The Financial Activities sector lost 1,000 jobs in October. This loss in employment represents 400 total jobs lost over the year. Half of the total monthly loss in employment comes from the Finance and Insurance industry that dropped employment by 500 jobs for the month, an overthe-year decrease of 200 jobs. The other half of the sector's total decrease in monthly employment is due to the Real Estate, Rental and Leasing industry that also lost 500 jobs over the month.
Employment in the Professional and Business Services sector rose by 2,800 jobs in October. Since October of last year, employment in the sector has grown by 46,100 jobs. The 2,800-job increase in monthly employment draws from the 2,000 jobs created in the Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation industry plus the 600job increase in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry coupled with the 200 additional jobs produced in the Management of Companies and Enterprises industry.
In the Education and Health Services industry, employment improved by 1,800 jobs over the month. There are 7,100 more jobs in this sector in October this year than in October last year. Educational Services showed an increase of 1,700 jobs over the month, which signifies a decrease of 2,900 jobs for the year. The Health Care and Social Assistance industry increased employment by 100 jobs for the month and 10,000 jobs for the year.
Seasonal factors continued to affect the Leisure and Hospitality sector in October. This sector lost 3,900 employees over the month. This total loss in employment is due to the Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation industry losing 2,700 jobs joined with the Accommodation and Food Services industry losing 1,200 jobs.
The Government sector displayed an increase of 4,900 jobs for the month of October. For the past twelve months, employment has picked up by 6,400 jobs. The federal Government lost 500 jobs for the month and 2,300 jobs for the year. State Government employment has increased by 400 jobs over the month and decreased by 1,900 jobs over the year. The Local Government industry, largely due to seasona l factors in Local Government Education, has picked up 5,000 jobs for the month and added 10,600 more employees over the year.

For more information, please contact Corey Smith at (404) 232-3875 or (800) 338-2082 Fax (404) 232-3888 Email: Corey.Smith@dol.state.ga.us
2

Georgia Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary OCT 2003

Revised SEP 2003

Revised OCT 2002

Change in Jobs

from SEP 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs

from OCT 2002

Net

%

Total nonfarm Total private Goods producing Service-providing
Natural resources and mining Construction
Construction of buildings Heavy and civil engineering construction Specialty trade contractors Manufacturing Durable goods
Wood product manufacturing Transportation equipment manufacturing Non-durable goods Food manufacturing Textile mills Trade, transportation and utilities Wholesale trade Retail trade Food and beverage stores General merchandise stores Transportation, warehousing and utilities Utilities Transportation and warehousing
Air transportation Truck transportation Couriers and messengers Warehousing and storage Information Cable and other subscription programming Telecommunications Wired telecommunications carriers Wireless telecommunications carriers Internet service providers, search portals & DP Financial activities Finance and insurance Insurance carriers and related activities Real Estate, rental and leasing Professional and business services Professional, scientific and technical services Accounting, tax preparation and bookkeeping Architectural, engineering and related services Computer systems design and related services Management, scientific and technical services Management of companies and enterprises Admin and support, waste mngmnt and remediation Employment services Educational and health services Educational services Colleges, universities, and professional schools Health care and social assistance Hospitals Nursing and residential care facilities Social assistance Leisure and hospitality Arts, entertainment, and recreation Accommodation and food services Food services and drinking places Other services Government Federal government Department of defense State government State govt education Local government Local govt education

3,985.4 3,344.6
678.5 3,306.9
11.7 217.2
48.7 32.2 136.3 449.6 197.4 20.5 34.5 252.2 66.9 34.5 834.9 199.3 465.7 77.2 88.9 169.9 19.9 150.0 38.4 47.6 18.7 22.9 129.0
5.8 54.5 31.4 16.0 20.9 212.0 154.6 67.6 57.4 562.0 191.2 29.2 30.0 44.9 24.0 75.7 295.1 156.2 387.4 58.5 15.4 328.9 111.5 51.8 44.6 342.0 37.1 304.9 268.2 198.8 640.8 94.1 32.7 152.0 57.8 394.7 243.5

3,980.5 3,344.6
681.0 3,299.5
12.0 216.5
48.5 31.8 136.2 452.5 198.0 20.8 35.7 254.5 67.2 35.8 830.6 200.4 461.0 76.5 87.5 169.2 19.9 149.3 38.3 46.9 18.6 22.8 127.8
5.8 54.2 31.4 15.4 20.9 213.0 155.1 67.1 57.9 559.2 190.6 29.8 32.8 44.8 23.0 75.5 293.1 154.2 385.6 56.8 14.2 328.8 111.3 50.9 46.4 345.9 39.8 306.1 268.5 201.5 635.9 94.6 32.7 151.6 56.1 389.7 238.8

3,914.7 3,280.3
684.6 3,230.1
11.8 199.1
44.8 32.0 122.3 473.7 205.2 26.1 37.1 268.5 67.9 38.3 835.3 204.1 456.8 80.0 89.0 174.4 20.4 154.0 41.0 46.7 18.0 25.7 129.3
5.7 55.0 33.1 14.3 19.9 212.4 154.8 65.3 57.6 515.9 186.6 27.4 33.8 44.2 23.2 75.6 253.7 125.9 380.3 61.4 17.2 318.9 106.1 49.7 46.0 335.9 36.5 299.4 258.7 186.6 634.4 96.4 33.5 153.9 58.8 384.1 233.6

+4.9 +0.1 +.0 +0.0 -2.5 -0.4
+7.4 +0.2 -.3 -2.5 +.7 +0.3 +.2 +0.4 +.4 +1.3 +.1 +0.1
-2.9 -0.6 -.6 -0.3 -.3 -1.4
-1.2 -3.4 -2.3 -0.9
-.3 -0.4 -1.3 -3.6 +4.3 +0.5 -1.1 -0.5 +4.7 +1.0 +.7 +0.9 +1.4 +1.6 +.7 +0.4 +.0 +0.0 +.7 +0.5 +.1 +0.3 +.7 +1.5 +.1 +0.5 +.1 +0.4 +1.2 +0.9 +.0 +0.0 +.3 +0.6 +.0 +0.0 +.6 +3.9 +.0 +0.0 -1.0 -0.5
-.5 -0.3 +.5 +0.7 -.5 -0.9 +2.8 +0.5 +.6 +0.3 -.6 -2.0 -2.8 -8.5 +.1 +0.2 +1.0 +4.3 +.2 +0.3 +2.0 +0.7 +2.0 +1.3 +1.8 +0.5 +1.7 +3.0 +1.2 +8.5 +.1 +0.0 +.2 +0.2 +.9 +1.8 -1.8 -3.9 -3.9 -1.1 -2.7 -6.8 -1.2 -0.4 -.3 -0.1 -2.7 -1.3 +4.9 +0.8 -.5 -0.5 +.0 +0.0 +.4 +0.3 +1.7 +3.0 +5.0 +1.3 +4.7 +2.0

+70.7 +64.3
-6.1 +76.8
-.1 +18.1
+3.9 +.2
+14.0 -24.1
-7.8 -5.6 -2.6 -16.3 -1.0 -3.8
-.4 -4.8 +8.9 -2.8
-.1 -4.5
-.5 -4.0 -2.6 +.9 +.7 -2.8
-.3 +.1 -.5 -1.7 +1.7 +1.0 -.4 -.2 +2.3 -.2 +46.1 +4.6 +1.8 -3.8 +.7 +.8 +.1 +41.4 +30.3 +7.1 -2.9 -1.8 +10.0 +5.4 +2.1 -1.4 +6.1 +.6 +5.5 +9.5 +12.2 +6.4 -2.3 -.8 -1.9 -1.0 +10.6 +9.9

+1.8 +2.0 -0.9 +2.4 -0.8 +9.1 +8.7 +0.6 +11.4 -5.1 -3.8 -21.5 -7.0 -6.1 -1.5 -9.9 +0.0 -2.4 +1.9 -3.5 -0.1 -2.6 -2.5 -2.6 -6.3 +1.9 +3.9 -10.9 -0.2 +1.8 -0.9 -5.1 +11.9 +5.0 -0.2 -0.1 +3.5 -0.3 +8.9 +2.5 +6.6 -11.2 +1.6 +3.4 +0.1 +16.3 +24.1 +1.9 -4.7 -10.5 +3.1 +5.1 +4.2 -3.0 +1.8 +1.6 +1.8 +3.7 +6.5 +1.0 -2.4 -2.4 -1.2 -1.7 +2.8 +4.2

Note:

The data included in this release reflect the conversion from the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) basis to the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis. Unlike the previous
publication structure under SIC, the new published series are not additive. 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 2002 benchmark.

Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis

3

Atlanta Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary OCT 2003

Revised SEP 2003

Revised OCT 2002

Change in Jobs

from SEP 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs

from OCT 2002

Net

%

Total nonfarm Total private Goods producing Service-providing
Natural resources and mining Construction
Construction of buildings Specialty trade contractors Manufacturing Durable goods
Computer and electronic products Transportation equipment manufacturing Non-durable goods Food manufacturing Trade, transportation and utilities Wholesale trade Retail trade Food and beverage stores General merchandise stores Transportation, warehousing and utilities Utilities Transportation and warehousing
Air transportation Truck transportation Couriers and messengers Warehousing and storage Information Cable and other subscription programming Telecommunications Wired telecommunications carriers Wireless telecommunications carriers Financial activities Finance and insurance Insurance carriers and related activities Real estate, rental and leasing Professional and business services Professional, scientific and technical services Accounting, tax preparation, and bookkeeping Architectural, engineering and related services Computer systems design and related services Management, scientific and technical services Management of companies and enterprises Admin and support, waste mngmnt and remediation Employment services Educational and health services Health care and social assistance Hospitals Social assistance Leisure and hospitality Arts, entertainment and recreation Accommodation and food services Food services and drinking places Other services Government Federal government State government Local government

2,245.1 1,949.5
291.6 1,953.5
1.8 127.1
29.9 79.3 162.7 77.5 13.5
9.6 85.2 27.5 492.2 131.5 251.3 41.4 44.1 109.4 10.5 98.9 37.4 27.5 14.4
9.5 102.4
4.8 44.8 26.6 14.2 146.2 106.8 47.4 39.4 390.4 146.0 18.8 24.4 32.9 19.1 57.5 186.9 94.0 212.2 173.3 59.9 25.2 200.9 25.3 175.6 155.5 113.6 295.6 46.1 55.5 194.0

2,239.9 1,947.9
289.7 1,950.2
1.8 124.6
30.1 77.5 163.3 77.5 13.5
9.9 85.8 27.2 492.5 133.4 250.1 41.0 43.4 109.0 10.5 98.5 37.4 27.1 14.3
9.5 101.6
4.8 44.6 26.6 13.8 145.3 106.0 46.7 39.3 386.7 144.6 19.0 25.0 32.9 18.7 57.3 184.8 92.2 212.3 173.5 59.8 25.8 203.0 26.7 176.3 155.3 116.8 292.0 46.2 55.2 190.6

2,179.7 1,888.8
290.8 1,888.9
1.7 118.2 25.7 75.3 170.9 82.5 14.2 12.6 88.4 24.0 504.7 139.7 250.9 43.6 46.0 114.1 10.5 103.6 39.7 25.5 13.9 12.0 100.2
4.7 44.2 27.8 12.4 145.4 105.1 46.5 40.3 357.7 141.6 17.9 26.0 33.1 19.6 55.7 160.4 76.4 201.3 163.9 56.1 25.5 189.8 23.2 166.6 143.2 98.9 290.9 47.3 57.8 185.8

+5.2 +0.2 +1.6 +0.1 +1.9 +0.7 +3.3 +0.2
+.0 +0.0 +2.5 +2.0
-.2 -0.7 +1.8 +2.3
-.6 -0.4 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.3 -3.0 -.6 -0.7 +.3 +1.1 -.3 -0.1 -1.9 -1.4 +1.2 +0.5 +.4 +1.0 +.7 +1.6 +.4 +0.4 +.0 +0.0 +.4 +0.4 +.0 +0.0 +.4 +1.5 +.1 +0.7 +.0 +0.0 +.8 +0.8 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +0.4 +.0 +0.0 +.4 +2.9 +.9 +0.6 +.8 +0.8 +.7 +1.5 +.1 +0.3 +3.7 +1.0 +1.4 +1.0 -.2 -1.1 -.6 -2.4 +.0 +0.0 +.4 +2.1 +.2 +0.3 +2.1 +1.1 +1.8 +2.0 -.1 +0.0 -.2 -0.1 +.1 +0.2 -.6 -2.3 -2.1 -1.0 -1.4 -5.2 -.7 -0.4 +.2 +0.1 -3.2 -2.7 +3.6 +1.2 -.1 -0.2 +.3 +0.5 +3.4 +1.8

+65.4 +60.7
+.8 +64.6
+.1 +8.9 +4.2 +4.0 -8.2 -5.0
-.7 -3.0 -3.2 +3.5 -12.5 -8.2 +.4 -2.2 -1.9 -4.7 +.0 -4.7 -2.3 +2.0 +.5 -2.5 +2.2 +.1 +.6 -1.2 +1.8 +.8 +1.7 +.9
-.9 +32.7
+4.4 +.9 -1.6 -.2 -.5
+1.8 +26.5 +17.6 +10.9
+9.4 +3.8
-.3 +11.1 +2.1 +9.0 +12.3 +14.7 +4.7
-1.2 -2.3 +8.2

+3.0 +3.2 +0.3 +3.4 +5.9 +7.5 +16.3 +5.3 -4.8 -6.1 -4.9 -23.8 -3.6 +14.6 -2.5 -5.9 +0.2 -5.0 -4.1 -4.1 +0.0 -4.5 -5.8 +7.8 +3.6 -20.8 +2.2 +2.1 +1.4 -4.3 +14.5 +0.6 +1.6 +1.9 -2.2 +9.1 +3.1 +5.0 -6.2 -0.6 -2.6 +3.2 +16.5 +23.0 +5.4 +5.7 +6.8 -1.2 +5.8 +9.1 +5.4 +8.6 +14.9 +1.6 -2.5 -4.0 +4.4

Note: The data included in this release reflect the conversion from the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) basis to the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis. Unlike the previous
publication structure under SIC, the new published series are not additive. 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 2002
benchmark.
Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis

4

Albany Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary OCT 2003

Revised SEP 2003

Revised OCT 2002

Change in Jobs

from SEP 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs

from OCT 2002

Net

%

Total nonfarm Total private Goods producing Service-providing
Natural resources, mining and construction Manufacturing Trade, transportation and utilities
Wholesale trade Retail trade Transportation, warehousing and utilities Information Financial activities Professional and business services Educational and health services Leisure and hospitality Other services Government Federal government State and local government

57.9

58.0

46.8

47.0

10.5

10.7

47.4

47.3

3.2

3.2

7.3

7.5

12.4

12.3

1.9

1.9

7.7

7.6

2.8

2.8

1.0

1.0

2.0

2.0

5.1

5.1

8.5

8.5

4.3

4.4

3.0

3.0

11.1

11.0

2.4

2.4

8.7

8.6

57.0

-.1 -0.2

+.9 +1.6

45.6

-.2 -0.4

+1.2 +2.6

10.6

-.2 -1.9

-.1 -0.9

46.4

+.1 +0.2

+1.0 +2.2

3.0

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +6.7

7.6

-.2 -2.7

-.3 -3.9

11.9

+.1 +0.8

+.5 +4.2

2.0

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -5.0

7.0

+.1 +1.3

+.7 +10.0

2.9

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -3.4

1.0

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

2.1

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -4.8

5.1

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

7.7

+.0 +0.0

+.8 +10.4

4.3

-.1 -2.3

+.0 +0.0

2.9

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +3.4

11.4

+.1 +0.9

-.3 -2.6

2.3

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +4.3

9.1

+.1 +1.2

-.4 -4.4

Note: The data included in this release reflect the conversion from the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) basis to the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis. Unlike
the previous publication structure under SIC, the new published series are not additive. 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 2002 benchmark.

Athens Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary OCT 2003

Revised SEP 2003

Revised OCT 2002

Change in Jobs from SEP 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs from OCT 2002

Net

%

Total nonfarm Total private Goods producing Service-providing
Natural resources, mining and construction Manufacturing Trade, transportation and utilities
Wholesale trade Retail trade Transportation, warehousing and utilities Information Financial activities Professional and business services Educational and health services Leisure and hospitality Other services Government Federal government State and local government

73.8

74.3

53.1

53.5

11.6

12.2

62.2

62.1

3.2

3.2

8.4

9.0

13.3

13.0

1.9

1.9

10.2

9.9

1.2

1.2

1.0

1.0

2.5

2.5

5.0

5.0

8.8

8.9

7.0

7.0

3.9

3.9

20.7

20.8

1.7

1.7

19.0

19.1

74.0

-.5 -0.7

-.2 -0.3

52.8

-.4 -0.7

+.3 +0.6

12.7

-.6 -4.9

-1.1 -8.7

61.3

+.1 +0.2

+.9 +1.5

3.1

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +3.2

9.6

-.6 -6.7

-1.2 -12.5

12.4

+.3 +2.3

+.9 +7.3

2.0

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -5.0

9.2

+.3 +3.0

+1.0 +10.9

1.2

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

1.0

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

2.5

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

4.8

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +4.2

8.7

-.1 -1.1

+.1 +1.1

6.8

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +2.9

3.9

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

21.2

-.1 -0.5

-.5 -2.4

1.7

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

19.5

-.1 -0.5

-.5 -2.6

Note: The data included in this release reflect the conversion from the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) basis to the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis. Unlike
the previous publication structure under SIC, the new published series are not additive. 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 fulland 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 2002 benchmark.

Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis

5

Augusta-Aiken Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary OCT 2003

Revised SEP 2003

Revised OCT 2002

Change in Jobs from SEP 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs from OCT 2002

Net

%

Total nonfarm Total private Goods producing Service-providing
Natural resources, mining and construction Manufacturing Trade, transportation and utilities
Wholesale trade Retail trade Transportation, warehousing and utilities Information Financial activities Professional and business services Educational and health services Educational services Health care and social assistance
Hospitals Leisure and hospitality Other services Government
Federal government State and local government

200.4 160.8
37.2 163.2
12.4 24.8 33.0
4.0 24.2
4.8 3.2 7.2 30.1 24.5 3.9 20.6 6.5 17.6 8.0 39.6 7.4 32.2

200.0 160.3
36.5 163.5
12.2 24.3 32.8
4.0 24.0
4.8 3.2 7.2 30.4 24.3 3.8 20.5 6.5 17.8 8.1 39.7 7.4 32.3

197.3 158.6
38.4 158.9
12.8 25.6 32.4
3.9 23.5
5.0 3.2 7.1 29.2 23.1 3.7 19.4 6.3 17.3 7.9 38.7 7.2 31.5

+.4 +0.2 +.5 +0.3 +.7 +1.9 -.3 -0.2 +.2 +1.6 +.5 +2.1 +.2 +0.6 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +0.8 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.3 -1.0 +.2 +0.8 +.1 +2.6 +.1 +0.5 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -1.1 -.1 -1.2 -.1 -0.3 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.3

+3.1 +1.6 +2.2 +1.4 -1.2 -3.1 +4.3 +2.7
-.4 -3.1 -.8 -3.1 +.6 +1.9 +.1 +2.6 +.7 +3.0 -.2 -4.0 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +1.4 +.9 +3.1 +1.4 +6.1 +.2 +5.4 +1.2 +6.2 +.2 +3.2 +.3 +1.7 +.1 +1.3 +.9 +2.3 +.2 +2.8 +.7 +2.2

Note: The data included in this release reflect the conversion from the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) basis to the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis. Unlike
the previous publication structure under SIC, the new published series are not additive. 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 2002 benchmark.

Columbus Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary OCT 2003

Revised SEP 2003

Revised OCT 2002

Change in Jobs from SEP 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs from OCT 2002

Net

%

Total nonfarm Total private Goods producing Service-providing
Natural resources, mining and construction Manufacturing Trade, transportation and utilities
Wholesale trade Retail trade Transportation, warehousing and utilities Information Financial activities Finance and insurance
Insurance carriers and related activities Professional and business services Educational and health services Leisure and hospitality
Accommodation and food services Other services Government
Federal government State and local government

113.8 92.7 18.1 95.7
5.6 12.5 18.7
2.1 14.7
1.9 6.2 8.4 6.6 4.9 14.3 11.1 10.3 9.1 5.6 21.1 4.8 16.3

114.4 93.2 18.9 95.5
5.6 13.3 18.6
2.1 14.6
1.9 6.2 8.4 6.5 4.9 14.0 11.1 10.3 9.1 5.7 21.2 4.9 16.3

115.4 93.8 20.7 94.7
5.5 15.2 17.4
2.1 13.3
2.0 6.2 7.8 6.1 4.5 14.3 11.0 10.9 9.8 5.5 21.6 5.4 16.2

-.6 -0.5 -.5 -0.5 -.8 -4.2 +.2 +0.2 +.0 +0.0 -.8 -6.0 +.1 +0.5 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.7 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +1.5 +.0 +0.0 +.3 +2.1 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -1.8 -.1 -0.5 -.1 -2.0 +.0 +0.0

-1.6 -1.4 -1.1 -1.2 -2.6 -12.6 +1.0 +1.1 +.1 +1.8 -2.7 -17.8 +1.3 +7.5 +.0 +0.0 +1.4 +10.5
-.1 -5.0 +.0 +0.0 +.6 +7.7 +.5 +8.2 +.4 +8.9 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.9 -.6 -5.5 -.7 -7.1 +.1 +1.8 -.5 -2.3 -.6 -11.1 +.1 +0.6

Note: The data included in this release reflect the conversion from the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) basis to the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis. Unlike
the previous publication structure under SIC, the new published series are not additive. 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 2002 benchmark.

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

Macon Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary OCT 2003

Revised SEP 2003

Revised OCT 2002

Change in Jobs

from SEP 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs

from OCT 2002

Net

%

Total nonfarm Total private Goods producing Service-providing
Natural resources, mining and construction Manufacturing Trade, transportation and utilities
Wholesale trade Retail trade Transportation, warehousing and utilities Information Financial activities Professional and business services Educational and health services Leisure and hospitality Other services Government Federal government State and local government

149.3 114.6 20.7 128.6
6.3 14.4 26.7
3.2 19.3
4.2 2.6 10.3 15.9 18.6 14.0 5.8 34.7 13.7 21.0

148.7 114.6 21.5 127.2
6.4 15.1 26.4
3.2 19.0
4.2 2.5 10.2 15.5 18.6 14.1 5.8 34.1 13.7 20.4

148.9 113.5 21.9 127.0
6.3 15.6 26.2
3.4 18.5
4.3 2.6 9.4 15.5 18.8 13.4 5.7 35.4 14.0 21.4

+.6 +0.4 +.0 +0.0 -.8 -3.7 +1.4 +1.1 -.1 -1.6 -.7 -4.6 +.3 +1.1 +.0 +0.0 +.3 +1.6 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +4.0 +.1 +1.0 +.4 +2.6 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.7 +.0 +0.0 +.6 +1.8 +.0 +0.0 +.6 +2.9

+.4 +0.3 +1.1 +1.0 -1.2 -5.5 +1.6 +1.3
+.0 +0.0 -1.2 -7.7 +.5 +1.9
-.2 -5.9 +.8 +4.3 -.1 -2.3 +.0 +0.0 +.9 +9.6 +.4 +2.6 -.2 -1.1 +.6 +4.5 +.1 +1.8 -.7 -2.0 -.3 -2.1 -.4 -1.9

Note: The data included in this release reflect the conversion from the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) basis to the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis. Unlike
the previous publication structure under SIC, the new published series are not additive. 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 2002 benchmark.

Savannah Nonagricultural Employment (000s)

Preliminary OCT 2003

Revised SEP 2003

Revised OCT 2002

Change in Jobs

from SEP 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs

from OCT 2002

Net

%

Total nonfarm Total private Goods producing Service-providing
Natural resources, mining and construction Manufacturing
Transportation equipment Paper manufacturing Trade, transportation and utilities Wholesale trade Retail trade Transportation, warehousing and utilities Information Financial activities Professional and business services Educational and health services Leisure and hospitality Other services Government Federal government State and local government

139.4 119.4 22.2 117.2
8.6 13.6
4.9 2.9 31.4 4.4 18.3 8.7 2.6 5.7 15.7 17.0 16.2 8.6 20.0 2.5 17.5

138.7 118.8 22.2 116.5
8.6 13.6
4.9 2.9 31.4 4.4 18.3 8.7 2.6 5.6 15.6 16.9 15.9 8.6 19.9 2.6 17.3

138.5 117.8 22.3 116.2
8.2 14.1
5.2 3.1 30.5 4.5 17.7 8.3 2.5 5.5 14.6 17.8 16.4 8.2 20.7 2.6 18.1

+.7 +0.5 +.6 +0.5 +.0 +0.0 +.7 +0.6 +.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 +1.8 +.1 +0.6 +.1 +0.6 +.3 +1.9 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.5 -.1 -3.8 +.2 +1.2

+.9 +0.6 +1.6 +1.4
-.1 -0.4 +1.0 +0.9
+.4 +4.9 -.5 -3.5 -.3 -5.8 -.2 -6.5 +.9 +3.0 -.1 -2.2 +.6 +3.4 +.4 +4.8 +.1 +4.0 +.2 +3.6 +1.1 +7.5 -.8 -4.5 -.2 -1.2 +.4 +4.9 -.7 -3.4 -.1 -3.8 -.6 -3.3

Note: The data included in this release reflect the conversion from the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) basis to the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) basis. Unlike
the previous publication structure under SIC, the new published series are not additive. 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 2002 benchmark.

Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis

7

Dimensions - Measuring Georgia's Labor Force

Unemployment declines for

fourth straight month

7.0%

In October, Georgia's unemployment

rate declined for the fourth consecutive

month. With an over-the-month drop of two-tenths percent, the state's rate

6.0%

was 4.4 percent, down from 4.6 percent

in September. The decline this month

preserved a short-term downward

trend as October marked the fifth time 5.0%

in six years the state's rate has dropped

from September to October. One year

ago, Georgia's rate was 5.3 percent.

Unemployment rates -- Georgia and U.S.

Georgia

U.S.

The U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, also declined this month. At 5.6 percent in October, the nation's jobless rate was down by twotenths percent from 5.8 percent in September. However, despite the decline this month, the nation's rate was at its highest October level in ten years. One year earlier, the U.S. rate was 5.3 percent. When drawing comparisons between the state and the nation as a whole, Georgia continued to maintain its longstanding favorable position in October. With more than one percentage point of deviation, Georgia's rate has prevailed at or below the nation for three years. In fact, there have been only seven times in the past 13 years the state's rate has exceeded that of the nation.
Georgia's total count of unemployed persons, at less than 193,000, dropped in October to a six-month low. That number dropped over the month by nearly 11,500 (-5.6%), the largest September-to-October drop ever recorded by

4.0%
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 2002
the state. The decline this month was due to an over-the-month drop in the number of persons receiving unemployment insurance (UI) benefits during the reference week in October. Also, there were fewer new entrants to the labor force this month. Typically, this time of year employers in the mostly retail sector begin hiring temporary workers for the holiday season.
Fueled by a seasonal increase in nonfar m employment, the state's total count of civilian employed climbed to its highest level ever. At more than 4.2 million in October, Georgia's civilian employment level was up over the month by more than 21,000 or 0.5 percent. Also helping to boost the state's civilian employment count this month were over-the-month increases in agricultural, self-employed, unpaid family and private household workers.

Percent Southeastern states and U.S. unemployment rates
9

October

September

8

6.9

7

6.3

5.9

5.8

5.9 6.0

6

5.5

5.5

5.3 5.4

5.1

5

4.9

4.4 4.6

5.3 5.0 5.6 5.8

4

3

2

1

0

AL

FL

GA

KY

MS

NC

SC

TN

US

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
2003
Area data
The unemployment rates in five of Georgia's seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) followed the statewide trend this month and declined in October. Although Athens' rate (2.9%) dropped by only one-tenth percentage point over the month, it led in the state with the lowest rate of all metro areas. Columbus, at 5.7 percent, had the highest rate for the third straight month.
Most Georgia counties mirrored the state in October and posted lower jobless rates. Declines were prevalent in 120 counties, 27 counties saw their rates increase in October and the remaining 12 counties were essentially unchanged over the month. For the third straight month, Burke County, at 10.2 percent in October, had the highest county rate in the state. Burke was also one of only two counties this month with doubledigit unemployment rates. With an overthe-month drop of two-tenths percent, Towns County, at 1.6 percent, had the lowest county rate.
Among the eight states in the Southeast, the unemployment rates were evenly split with over-the-month increases and declines in October. The states were also evenly split with rates that hovered above and below the nation's average of 5.6 percent this month. Georgia, at 4.4 percent, continued to enjoy the top spot in the region with the lowest jobless rate. This was the tenth straight month Georgia has led in that category. South Carolina, the only state to post a jobless rate in the six percent range (6.9%) in October, had the highest rate in the Southeast for the fourth time this year.

8

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

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

Employment Status

Preliminary OCT 2003

Revised SEP 2003

Revised OCT 2002

Change From

Revised

Revised

SEP 2003

OCT 2002

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

4,406,196 4,213,784
192,412 4.4

4,396,530 4,192,649
203,881 4.6

4,325,955 4,094,979
230,976 5.3

9,666 21,135 -11,469

80,241 118,805 -38,564

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

56,954 54,107
2,847 5.0

56,659 53,960
2,699 4.8

55,710 52,669
3,041 5.5

295

1,244

147

1,438

148

-194

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

77,452 75,189
2,263 2.9

77,716 75,348
2,368 3.0

76,759 74,318
2,441 3.2

-264 -159 -105

693 871 -178

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

2,450,307 2,340,440
109,867 4.5

2,444,342 2,326,906
117,436 4.8

2,390,429 2,257,417
133,012 5.6

5,965 13,534 -7,569

59,878 83,023 -23,145

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

214,233 204,090
10,143 4.7

213,757 203,571
10,186 4.8

208,256 197,103
11,153 5.4

476

5,977

519

6,987

-43

-1,010

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

124,798 117,705
7,093 5.7

125,399 117,941
7,458 5.9

125,925 118,133
7,792 6.2

-601 -236 -365

-1,127 -428 -699

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

157,293 150,784
6,509 4.1

155,926 149,474
6,452 4.1

156,724 149,396
7,328 4.7

1,367 1,310
57

569 1,388 -819

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

144,171 138,847
5,324 3.7

143,444 137,559
5,885 4.1

143,234 137,173
6,061 4.2

727 1,288 -561

937 1,674 -737

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

Area
United States
(Seasonally adjusted)

Employment Status
Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

OCT 2003
146,793,000 138,014,000
8,779,000 6.0

SEP 2003
146,545,000 137,573,000
8,973,000 6.1

OCT 2002
145,393,000 136,988,000
8,405,000 5.8

Change From

SEP 2003

OCT 2002

248,000 441,000 -194,000

1,400,000 1,026,000
374,000

United States
(Not Seasonally adjusted)

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed

146,787,000 138,619,000
8,169,000

146,166,000 137,731,000
8,436,000

145,320,000 137,551,000
7,769,000

621,000 888,000 -267,000

1,467,000 1,068,000
400,000

Rate

5.6

5.8

5.3

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

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

Statistical Area data have not been seasonally adjusted . Seasonally adjusted data for Georgia available upon request.

Albany MSA: Includes Dougherty and Lee counties

Athens MSA: Includes Clarke, Madison, and Oconee counties

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

Augusta-Aiken MSA: Includes Columbia, McDuffie and Richmond counties in Georgia and Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina

Columbus MSA: Includes Chatt ahoochee, 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

9

Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Georgia
Appling Atkinson Bacon Baker Baldwin

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

Preliminary October 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

Revised September 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

4,406,196 4,213,784 192,412 4.4

7,732 3,108 3,818 1,888 18,243

7,276 2,891 3,606 1,823 17,576

456 5.9 217 7.0 212 5.6
65 3.4 667 3.7

4,396,530 4,192,649 203,881 4.6

7,784 3,109 3,781 1,872 18,251

7,240 2,869 3,586 1,808 17,530

544 7.0 240 7.7 195 5.2
64 3.4 721 4.0

Banks Barrow Bartow Ben Hill Berrien

7,398 7,167

231 3.1

24,731 23,703 1,028 4.2

42,822 40,644 2,178 5.1

9,012 8,560

452 5.0

6,552 6,347

205 3.1

7,392 24,743 42,461
9,019 6,523

7,134 23,566 40,409
8,515 6,299

258 3.5 1,177 4.8 2,052 4.8
504 5.6 224 3.4

Bibb Bleckley Brantley Brooks Bryan

72,917 69,872 3,045 4.2

5,943 5,752

191 3.2

7,223 6,892

331 4.6

7,610 7,423

187 2.5

11,615 11,285

330 2.8

72,458 5,877 7,271 7,609 11,559

69,265 5,728 6,870 7,395 11,180

3,193 4.4 149 2.5 401 5.5 214 2.8 379 3.3

Bulloch Burke Butts Calhoun Camden

28,365 9,765 9,511 2,444
17,864

27,445 8,737 9,118 2,325 17,111

920 3.2 1,028 10.5
393 4.1 119 4.9 753 4.2

28,341 9,809 9,523 2,433
17,876

27,348 8,696 9,090 2,302
17,061

993 3.5 1,113 11.3
433 4.5 131 5.4 815 4.6

Candler Carroll Catoosa Charlton Chatham

4,194 4,046

148 3.5

47,815 45,661 2,154 4.5

28,988 27,961 1,027 3.5

4,766 4,504

262 5.5

112,805 108,450 4,355 3.9

4,188

4,018

170 4.1

47,712 45,397 2,315 4.9

28,580 27,852

728 2.5

4,761

4,491

270 5.7

112,197 107,444 4,753 4.2

Chattahoochee 2,169 1,988

181 8.3

Chattooga

11,333 10,942

391 3.5

Cherokee

87,562 84,411 3,151 3.6

Clarke

49,622 48,109 1,513 3.0

Clay

1,875 1,822

53 2.8

2,187 11,315 87,339 49,784 1,874

1,992 10,912 83,923 48,210
1,810

195 8.9 403 3.6 3,416 3.9 1,574 3.2
64 3.4

Clayton Clinch Cobb Coffee Colquitt

144,393 136,265 8,128 5.6

2,906 2,791

115 4.0

385,574 370,445 15,129 3.9

21,634 20,290 1,344 6.2

19,144 18,488

656 3.4

144,385 135,477 8,908 6.2

2,911

2,775

136 4.7

384,069 368,303 15,766 4.1

21,639 20,184 1,455 6.7

19,211 18,372

839 4.4

Columbia Cook Coweta Crawford Crisp

44,255 43,077 1,178 2.7

8,028 7,715

313 3.9

48,657 46,692 1,965 4.0

6,173 5,835

338 5.5

9,451 8,961

490 5.2

44,047 8,051
48,644 6,075 9,443

42,805 7,673
46,422 5,810 8,906

1,242 2.8 378 4.7
2,222 4.6 265 4.4 537 5.7

Revised October 2002

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

4,325,955 4,094,979 230,976 5.3

7,663 2,975 3,706 1,709 18,270

7,055 2,725 3,467 1,648 17,437

608 7.9 250 8.4 239 6.4
61 3.6 833 4.6

7,277 23,966 41,723
8,945 6,305

6,954 22,862 39,202
8,271 6,013

323 4.4 1,104 4.6 2,521 6.0
674 7.5 292 4.6

73,052 5,888 7,272 7,658 11,552

69,229 5,620 6,794 7,275 11,149

3,823 5.2 268 4.6 478 6.6 383 5.0 403 3.5

27,760 9,330 9,589 2,283
17,649

26,959 8,495 9,010 2,147
16,906

801 2.9 835 8.9 579 6.0 136 6.0 743 4.2

4,014 46,849 28,699
4,626 112,002

3,848 44,041 27,697
4,450 107,142

166 4.1 2,808 6.0 1,002 3.5
176 3.8 4,860 4.3

2,202 11,122 85,127 49,148 1,776

2,006 10,824 81,416 47,551
1,717

196 8.9 298 2.7 3,711 4.4 1,597 3.2
59 3.3

140,957 131,432 9,525 6.8

2,834 2,681

153 5.4

375,922 357,304 18,618 5.0

20,751 19,602 1,149 5.5

18,496 17,682

814 4.4

43,585 7,832
47,152 5,982 9,272

42,092 7,440
45,035 5,701 8,577

1,493 3.4 392 5.0
2,117 4.5 281 4.7 695 7.5

10

Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Dade Dawson Decatur DeKalb Dodge

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

Preliminary October 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

Revised September 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

7,618 7,370

248 3.3

10,953 10,660

293 2.7

11,619 10,944

675 5.8

398,852 378,791 20,061 5.0

10,465 10,110

355 3.4

7,562

7,341

221 2.9

11,033 10,709

324 2.9

11,534 10,883

651 5.6

398,719 376,600 22,119 5.5

10,428 10,095

333 3.2

Dooly Dougherty Douglas Early Echols

4,722 4,387

335 7.1

43,663 41,204 2,459 5.6

54,905 52,415 2,490 4.5

5,100 4,811

289 5.7

1,806 1,768

38 2.1

4,649

4,360

289 6.2

43,363 41,093 2,270 5.2

54,738 52,112 2,626 4.8

5,090

4,771

319 6.3

1,809 1,762

47 2.6

Effingham Elbert Emanuel Evans Fannin

19,751 9,959 8,605 5,420
10,201

19,112 9,332 8,109 5,272 9,782

639 3.2 627 6.3 496 5.8 148 2.7 419 4.1

19,688 9,921 8,597 5,392
10,201

18,935 9,293 8,069 5,247 9,746

753 3.8 628 6.3 528 6.1 145 2.7 455 4.5

Fayette Floyd Forsyth Franklin Fulton

52,011 50,564 1,447 2.8

46,929 45,220 1,709 3.6

62,355 60,384 1,971 3.2

11,356 10,937

419 3.7

441,544 418,020 23,524 5.3

51,898 50,272 1,626 3.1

47,069 45,106 1,963 4.2

62,021 60,035 1,986 3.2

11,359 10,890

469 4.1

440,735 415,603 25,132 5.7

Gilmer Glascock Glynn Gordon Grady

9,663 9,327

336 3.5

1,033

995

38 3.7

37,545 36,329 1,216 3.2

22,458 21,490

968 4.3

10,108 9,731

377 3.7

9,655

9,292

363 3.8

1,031

990

41 4.0

37,549 36,237 1,312 3.5

22,409 21,414

995 4.4

10,041

9,653

388 3.9

Greene

5,719 5,340

379 6.6

Gwinnett

386,145 371,563 14,582 3.8

Habersham 16,664 16,161

503 3.0

Hall

80,136 77,570 2,566 3.2

Hancock

3,760 3,474

286 7.6

5,659

5,317

342 6.0

385,125 369,414 15,711 4.1

16,600 16,090

510 3.1

80,246 77,520 2,726 3.4

3,734

3,458

276 7.4

Haralson Harris Hart Heard Henry

10,415 9,912

503 4.8

12,776 12,379

397 3.1

9,567 9,198

369 3.9

5,324 5,085

239 4.5

73,554 70,644 2,910 4.0

10,392

9,877

515 5.0

12,807 12,407

400 3.1

9,614

9,159

455 4.7

5,352

5,080

272 5.1

73,413 70,235 3,178 4.3

Houston Irwin Jackson Jasper Jeff Davis

55,657 53,867 1,790 3.2

5,282 5,062

220 4.2

24,461 23,595

866 3.5

5,267 4,971

296 5.6

5,519 5,100

419 7.6

55,140 53,399 1,741 3.2

5,307

5,034

273 5.1

24,432 23,503

929 3.8

5,256

4,950

306 5.8

5,551

5,075

476 8.6

Revised October 2002

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

7,624 7,300

324 4.2

10,664 10,228

436 4.1

11,280 10,538

742 6.6

391,102 365,354 25,748 6.6

10,478 9,815

663 6.3

4,465 42,748 53,313
4,810 1,767

4,199 40,109 50,555
4,527 1,733

266 6.0 2,639 6.2 2,758 5.2
283 5.9 34 1.9

19,680 9,752 8,553 5,293
10,210

18,881 9,102 7,882 5,108 9,621

799 4.1 650 6.7 671 7.8 185 3.5 589 5.8

50,238 48,770 1,468 2.9

47,065 44,861 2,204 4.7

60,781 58,242 2,539 4.2

11,173 10,668

505 4.5

432,090 403,191 28,899 6.7

9,595 1,013 37,440 22,883 9,641

9,123 967
35,999 21,123
9,188

472 4.9 46 4.5
1,441 3.8 1,760 7.7
453 4.7

5,857 376,076
16,385 79,257
3,782

5,201 358,382
15,747 76,138
3,398

656 11.2 17,694 4.7
638 3.9 3,119 3.9
384 10.2

10,301 12,876
9,513 5,264 71,526

9,768 12,488
8,978 4,979 68,138

533 5.2 388 3.0 535 5.6 285 5.4 3,388 4.7

55,408 5,200
24,146 5,200 5,470

53,371 4,890
23,083 4,864 4,935

2,037 3.7 310 6.0
1,063 4.4 336 6.5 535 9.8

11

Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Jefferson Jenkins Johnson Jones Lamar

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

Preliminary October 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

Revised September 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

7,277 4,213 3,103 12,783 6,607

6,645 3,980 2,829 12,294 6,254

632 8.7 233 5.5 274 8.8 489 3.8 353 5.3

7,247 4,172 3,089 12,672 6,609

6,612 3,964 2,815 12,187 6,246

635 8.8 208 5.0 274 8.9 485 3.8 363 5.5

Lanier Laurens Lee Liberty Lincoln

3,572 3,485

87 2.4

23,839 22,285 1,554 6.5

13,291 12,903

388 2.9

19,287 18,376

911 4.7

2,629 2,402

227 8.6

3,563 23,622 13,296 19,314
2,618

3,472 22,206 12,867 18,326
2,392

91 2.6 1,416 6.0
429 3.2 988 5.1 226 8.6

Long Lowndes Lumpkin McDuffie McIntosh

5,009 4,876

133 2.7

45,662 44,339 1,323 2.9

11,324 10,997

327 2.9

9,393 8,850

543 5.8

5,123 4,939

184 3.6

5,003 45,631 11,337
9,415 5,127

4,863 44,171 10,993
8,794 4,921

140 2.8 1,460 3.2
344 3.0 621 6.6 206 4.0

Macon Madison Marion Meriwether Miller

5,589 13,584
2,931 9,102 3,382

5,057 13,103
2,733 8,594 3,253

532 9.5 481 3.5 198 6.8 508 5.6 129 3.8

5,430 13,647
2,923 9,170 3,377

5,018 13,131
2,717 8,585 3,228

412 7.6 516 3.8 206 7.0 585 6.4 149 4.4

Mitchell Monroe Montgomery Morgan Murray

12,443 8,174 3,635 8,250
20,028

11,878 7,788 3,468 7,954 19,279

565 4.5 386 4.7 167 4.6 296 3.6 749 3.7

12,398 8,197 3,664 8,216
20,005

11,802 7,780 3,452 7,912 19,268

596 4.8 417 5.1 212 5.8 304 3.7 737 3.7

Muscogee Newton Oconee Oglethorpe Paulding

84,854 80,289 4,565 5.4

34,370 32,359 2,011 5.9

14,246 13,977

269 1.9

6,740 6,458

282 4.2

48,331 46,376 1,955 4.0

85,493 34,144 14,285
6,735 48,022

80,469 32,172 14,007
6,431 46,108

5,024 5.9 1,972 5.8
278 1.9 304 4.5 1,914 4.0

Peach Pickens Pierce Pike Polk

11,533 10,524 1,009 8.7

12,890 12,471

419 3.3

7,958 7,698

260 3.3

7,922 7,578

344 4.3

18,875 18,034

841 4.5

11,288 12,904
7,930 7,941 18,765

10,433 12,399
7,654 7,572 18,029

855 7.6 505 3.9 276 3.5 369 4.6 736 3.9

Pulaski Putnam Quitman Rabun Randolph

4,276 10,748
1,388 7,795 3,203

4,140 10,379
1,333 7,657 3,008

136 3.2 369 3.4
55 4.0 138 1.8 195 6.1

4,251 10,739
1,374 7,764 3,205

4,128 10,361
1,326 7,635 2,990

123 2.9 378 3.5
48 3.5 129 1.7 215 6.7

Revised October 2002

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

7,214 3,971 2,978 12,669 6,623

6,444 3,772 2,747 12,181 6,101

770 10.7 199 5.0 231 7.8 488 3.9 522 7.9

3,606 23,237 12,962 19,590
2,590

3,416 21,890 12,560 18,212
2,343

190 5.3 1,347 5.8
402 3.1 1,378 7.0
247 9.5

5,015 45,067 11,102
9,494 5,126

4,833 43,456 10,706
8,648 4,841

182 3.6 1,611 3.6
396 3.6 846 8.9 285 5.6

5,210 13,475
2,795 9,105 3,227

4,765 12,951
2,629 8,415 3,068

445 8.5 524 3.9 166 5.9 690 7.6 159 4.9

11,953 8,115 3,679 8,075
20,040

11,353 7,645 3,370 7,674 19,012

600 5.0 470 5.8 309 8.4 401 5.0 1,028 5.1

85,874 33,186 14,136
6,583 46,896

81,000 31,211 13,816 6,306 44,731

4,874 5.7 1,975 6.0
320 2.3 277 4.2 2,165 4.6

11,122 12,509
7,730 7,849 18,631

10,427 12,028
7,405 7,430 17,750

695 6.2 481 3.8 325 4.2 419 5.3 881 4.7

4,146 10,546
1,344 7,725 3,222

3,951 10,127
1,296 7,543 2,880

195 4.7 419 4.0
48 3.6 182 2.4 342 10.6

12

Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Richmond Rockdale Schley Screven Seminole

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

Preliminary October 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

Revised September 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

82,346 78,285 4,061 4.9

41,020 39,158 1,862 4.5

1,794 1,720

74 4.1

5,690 5,356

334 5.9

4,770 4,610

160 3.4

82,333 77,792 4,541 5.5

40,736 38,931 1,805 4.4

1,800 1,719

81 4.5

5,701

5,325

376 6.6

4,745

4,573

172 3.6

Spalding Stephens Stewart Sumter Talbot

29,781 28,145 1,636 5.5

12,744 12,000

744 5.8

2,313 2,191

122 5.3

14,744 13,981

763 5.2

3,161 2,989

172 5.4

29,742 27,982 1,760 5.9

12,749 11,961

788 6.2

2,329

2,179

150 6.4

14,705 13,919

786 5.3

3,166

2,987

179 5.7

Taliaferro Tattnall Taylor Telfair Terrell

831 7,229 3,927 4,052 4,040

776 6,981 3,662 3,660 3,816

55 6.6 248 3.4 265 6.7 392 9.7 224 5.5

832 7,187 3,862 3,930 4,019

771 6,919 3,640 3,638 3,788

61 7.3 268 3.7 222 5.7 292 7.4 231 5.7

Thomas Tift Toombs Towns Treutlen

23,426 21,349 11,516
4,695 2,885

22,632 20,696 10,753
4,619 2,749

794 3.4 653 3.1 763 6.6
76 1.6 136 4.7

23,418 21,367 11,449
4,685 2,927

22,537 20,587 10,702
4,603 2,737

881 3.8 780 3.7 747 6.5
82 1.8 190 6.5

Troup Turner Twiggs Union Upson

31,512 29,936 1,576 5.0

4,728 4,406

322 6.8

4,404 4,227

177 4.0

9,175 8,887

288 3.1

10,732 10,138

594 5.5

31,548 29,857 1,691 5.4

4,737

4,374

363 7.7

4,368

4,190

178 4.1

9,131

8,843

288 3.2

10,747 10,108

639 5.9

Walker Walton Ware Warren Washington

31,333 32,996 15,537
2,509 9,592

30,095 31,731 14,893
2,258 9,106

1,238 4.0 1,265 3.8
644 4.1 251 10.0 486 5.1

30,980 29,978 1,002 3.2

32,792 31,547 1,245 3.8

15,487 14,843

644 4.2

2,481

2,248

233 9.4

9,578

9,071

507 5.3

Wayne Webster Wheeler White Whitfield

11,663 11,194

469 4.0

1,179 1,132

47 4.0

2,041 1,897

144 7.1

9,975 9,698

277 2.8

49,747 48,221 1,526 3.1

11,695 11,156

539 4.6

1,175 1,123

52 4.4

2,044

1,885

159 7.8

9,961

9,660

301 3.0

49,721 48,091 1,630 3.3

Wilcox Wilkes Wilkinson Worth

3,542 5,232 4,314 9,523

3,404 4,826 4,075 9,053

138 3.9 406 7.8 239 5.5 470 4.9

3,523 5,278 4,305 9,493

3,383 4,818 4,063 8,990

140 4.0 460 8.7 242 5.6 503 5.3

Revised October 2002

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

81,766 39,739
1,727 5,477 4,524

76,495 37,769
1,664 5,139 4,337

5,271 6.4 1,970 5.0
63 3.6 338 6.2 187 4.1

29,230 12,553
2,228 14,570
3,051

27,146 11,848
2,119 13,607
2,913

2,084 7.1 705 5.6 109 4.9 963 6.6 138 4.5

845 6,877 3,678 4,310 3,984

744 6,514 3,523 3,502 3,617

101 12.0 363 5.3 155 4.2 808 18.7 367 9.2

23,022 20,789 11,385
4,640 2,963

22,080 19,996 10,448
4,535 2,672

942 4.1 793 3.8 937 8.2 105 2.3 291 9.8

31,433 4,614 4,473 8,960
10,952

29,646 4,167 4,188 8,612
10,004

1,787 5.7 447 9.7 285 6.4 348 3.9 948 8.7

31,148 32,044 15,451
2,531 9,418

29,811 30,605 14,656
2,195 8,910

1,337 4.3 1,439 4.5
795 5.1 336 13.3 508 5.4

11,578 1,119 1,999 9,799
49,811

11,003 1,075 1,815 9,484 47,772

575 5.0 44 3.9
184 9.2 315 3.2 2,039 4.1

3,480 5,107 4,302 9,115

3,258 4,646 4,027 8,599

222 6.4 461 9.0 275 6.4 516 5.7

13

New Developments

A. Duda & Sons is moving its operations to more
spacious accommodations on a 10-acre site in Thomasville . The new digs will include a new 40,000-square-foot processing plant and warehouse and a refurbished 45,000-square-foot cold storage and distribution center. The company is getting assistance from a $1.5 million economic development grant from the Joint Development Authority of South Georgia to help defray the cost of construction and the installation of new equipment at the plant. The new facility will replace Duda's Redi Foods plant in Lake Jem, Fla. Based in Orviedo, Fla., A. Duda & Sons is the nation's primary supplie r of canned and frozen celery. Duda has principal operations in Florida, Texas and California with expanding operations in 11 states and Mexico. The cold storage and distribution center is scheduled to open within the next couple of months and the processing plant will begin operation in January giving an economic boost to Thomas County.
Publix Super Markets Inc. recently increased
its presence in the Atlanta area with the opening of a new store in Woodstock, the purchase of a pie plant in Atlanta and the expansion of its distribution center in Lawrenceville . According to the company's website, Publix is the largest employeeowned supermarket in the United States. It employs more than 121,000 associates in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee. Publix was founded in 1930 in Winter Haven, Florida and has grown into a Fortune 500 company with more than 780 stores. The company's newest Georgia store is located at the Village Shoppes of East Cherokee in Woodstock. That facility encompasses about 45,000 square feet of retail space and features a bakery, deli and pharmacy. The company's pie plant was recently acquired from Country Home Bakers and is located in Atlanta. That purchase includes an 115,000-square-foot state-of-the-art plant, equipment and land. Publix will produce several varieties of pies at this facility and expects to begin operations in December. Because of Publix's growing presence in Georgia, the company's distribution center, located in the Gwinnett Progress Center, is

expanding to accommodate that growth. Built in the mid-1990s, that facility was intended to serve 150 stores. Publix now has more than 190 stores in the Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina division, with another 20 on the way. The expansion, which is expected to cost $200 million, will include larger truck bays and the creation of about 120 jobs. The company is also adding a stand-alone frozen foods warehouse at the Lawrenceville site. As other retail grocery chains have exited the Atlanta market, Publix hopes to gain a strong foothold in market share, along side Kroger and Wal-Mart.
Michaels Stores Inc. recently opened Star Deco-
rators Wholesale Warehouse in Atlanta. The 38,000 square foot store is the company's first wholesale operation in Georgia. Star Decorators is a value priced wholesaler that offers a full line of merchandise for interior decorators and designers, retail florists and floral designers, wedding and event planners, gift shop owners and other professionals. Based in Irving, Tex., Michaels Stores, Inc. owns and operates 777 Michaels retail stores, eight Village Crafts stores, 158 Aaron Brothers stores, one ReCollections Store and two wholesale operations. Star's recent grand opening in Atlanta kicked off about two months of special events, including appearances by regionally and nationally known designers. The new store is located in Fulton County.
Adrienne Vittadini and Waterford-Wedgwood
recently celebrated the opening of their new stores at the North Georgia Premium Outlet in Dawsonville . Adrienne Vittadini is the first outlet store of its kind in the Southeast, which specializes in ready-to-wear sportswear. It also sells Vittadini footwear, handbags, eyewear, jewelry and accessories. WaterfordWedgwood offers stemware, which are slightly imperfect in cluding the Marquis collection and Christmas items. That store also has a selection of lamps, ceiling fixtures and chandeliers. Other stores that have recently opened at the outlets mall include Coldwater Creek, Vanity Fair/Lee, Kitchen Collection, K-B Toys Express, Bible Sale and Yankee Candle . North Georgia Premium Outlet is in Dawson County.

14

Georgia Unemployment Rates by County

October 2003

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 4.4% to 9.9% Less than 4.4%

Polk Haralson

Cobb Paulding
Douglas

Gwinnett Barrow Clarke

Oconee Oglethorpe

DeKalb

Walton

Rock-

Wilkes

Lincoln

Carroll

Fulton Clayton

dale Newton

Morgan

Greene Taliaferro

Columbia

Heard

Fayette Henry

Coweta

Spalding Butts Jasper

Putnam

Hancock

McDuffie Warren
Glascock

Richmond

Troup

Meriwether

Pike

Lamar Monroe

Jones Baldwin

Jefferson Washington

Burke

Harris

Upson Talbot

Bibb Crawford

Wilkinson 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 Worth

Irwin Tift

Coffee

Early Miller

Baker Mitchell

Colquitt

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: 4.4%
15

Georgia Unemployment Insurance Claims by County

County

October Average Initial Weekly Average
Claims Benefit Duration

County

October Average Initial Weekly Average
Claims Benefit Duration

Appling

132 ...... $190 ..... 10.9

Atkinson

129 ...... $165 ........8.6

Bacon

61 ...... $207 ........7.7

Baker

15 ...... $186 ......11.8

Baldwin

322 ...... $192 ........9.4

Banks

52 ...... $219 ........9.6

Barrow

179 ...... $211 ..... 12.5

Bartow

499 ...... $223 ..... 10.7

Ben Hill

171 ...... $153 ........9.0

Berrien

46 ...... $191 ..... 10.7

Bibb

660 ...... $185 ..... 13.3

Bleckley

72 ...... $184 ........9.4

Brantley

112 ...... $216 ..... 15.5

Brooks

48 ...... $181 ..... 10.4

Bryan

58 ...... $215 ..... 10.9

Bulloch

203 ...... $214 ......11.6

Burke

261 ...... $181 ..... 12.0

Butts

77 ...... $205 ..... 12.9

Calhoun

20 ...... $167 ..... 12.4

Camden

112 ...... $189 ..... 17.8

Candler

38 ...... $186 ..... 12.0

Carroll

393 ...... $217 ..... 12.2

Catoosa

310 ...... $234 ........8.5

Charlton

28 ...... $192 ..... 15.1

Chatham

667 ...... $197 ..... 12.9

Chattahoochee 16 ...... $176 ..... 13.5

Chattooga

80 ...... $208 ..... 13.7

Cherokee

444 ...... $245 ..... 13.8

Clarke

382 ...... $195 ..... 12.2

Clay

8 ...... $193 ........9.0

Clayton

1,069 ...... $223 ..... 15.4

Clinch

31 ...... $162 ..... 12.0

Cobb

1,917 ...... $242 ..... 16.2

Coffee

216 ...... $198 ..... 10.4

Colquitt

169 ...... $164 ......11.4

Columbia

225 ...... $225 ..... 12.3

Cook

52 ...... $167 ..... 10.5

Coweta

299 ...... $235 ......11.5

Crawford

70 ...... $210 ..... 10.6

Crisp

152 ...... $146 ..... 12.4

Dade

32 ...... $234 ........6.6

Dawson

49 ...... $243 ..... 13.1

Decatur

178 ...... $192 ..... 10.7

DeKalb

2,696 ...... $229 ..... 15.5

Dodge

158 ...... $171 ..... 10.5

Dooly

95 ...... $169 ..... 12.9

Dougherty

528 ...... $166 ..... 12.3

Douglas

341 ...... $241 ..... 14.8

Early

53 ...... $172 ..... 14.0

Echols

1 ...... $224 ........7.6

Effingham

97 ...... $242 ........9.2

Elbert

201 ...... $181 ........8.0

Emanuel

159 ...... $169 ........9.4

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

35 ...... $204 ..... 12.1 112 ...... $199 ..... 14.4 176 ...... $246 ..... 14.1 478 ...... $208 ........9.5 263 ...... $257 ..... 16.2 170 ...... $223 ........9.4 3,048 ...... $222 ..... 15.8 145 ...... $227 ........9.2
8 ...... $193 ........9.4 273 ...... $187 ..... 14.1 338 ...... $212 ........8.4
93 ...... $192 ........8.8 154 ...... $160 ..... 10.4 1,979 ...... $245 ..... 15.2 240 ...... $207 ........7.7 501 ...... $214 ......11.1
74 ...... $171 ........8.9 120 ...... $220 ..... 10.9
99 ...... $226 ........9.9 186 ...... $198 ........8.4
44 ...... $221 ..... 10.3 428 ...... $230 ..... 15.1 358 ...... $207 ..... 12.5
39 ...... $155 ......11.2 140 ...... $222 ......11.2
56 ...... $214 ..... 10.5 72 ...... $199 ........9.8 198 ...... $178 ......11.2 211 ...... $167 ........7.8 60 ...... $153 ......11.4 104 ...... $213 ......11.9 74 ...... $215 ........9.8 26 ...... $175 ......11.4 530 ...... $174 ........9.9 176 ...... $245 ........8.8 116 ...... $190 ..... 13.7 55 ...... $190 ..... 10.2 28 ...... $212 ..... 12.7 275 ...... $170 ..... 10.0 89 ...... $228 ........7.3 325 ...... $191 ........8.6 182 ...... $201 ........9.7 31 ...... $192 ........9.4 114 ...... $181 ......11.8 36 ...... $194 ..... 14.9 112 ...... $211 ........9.3 33 ...... $191 ..... 13.3 176 ...... $141 ..... 12.8 87 ...... $217 ..... 10.9 66 ...... $170 ......11.3 73 ...... $211 ..... 10.6 425 ...... $218 ........6.3 1,222 ...... $196 ......11.7

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.

16

County

October 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

340 ...... $227 ..... 12.7 60 ...... $229 ..... 12.5 78 ...... $208 ..... 10.9 311 ...... $244 ..... 14.3
189 ...... $201 ......11.4 69 ...... $237 ......11.7 59 ...... $207 ..... 12.4 64 ...... $209 ......11.3
341 ...... $201 ........8.8 42 ...... $189 ........9.8 116 ...... $183 ........7.1 3 ...... $300 ..... 16.1 87 ...... $222 ........5.8 34 ...... $163 ........9.9
875 ...... $193 ..... 12.8 280 ...... $231 ..... 14.3
16 ...... $179 ..... 10.1 135 ...... $192 ..... 10.1
54 ...... $203 ..... 12.5 379 ...... $196 ......11.4 211 ...... $222 ........9.8
27 ...... $161 ..... 10.1 156 ...... $163 ......11.7
69 ...... $196 ..... 10.2 15 ...... $175 ......11.0 60 ...... $177 ..... 12.2 64 ...... $213 ........9.2 265 ...... $156 ........8.5 36 ...... $151 ........8.6 169 ...... $171 ......11.3 144 ...... $170 ..... 10.3 243 ...... $170 ..... 10.4 11 ...... $216 ..... 10.6 76 ...... $171 ........9.1 307 ...... $209 ..... 10.0 106 ...... $154 ..... 10.1 55 ...... $181 ..... 13.3 61 ...... $193 ..... 12.8 132 ...... $201 ........9.9 382 ...... $209 ........8.0 231 ...... $228 ......11.6 174 ...... $160 ..... 12.3 77 ...... $169 ..... 10.2 100 ...... $184 ..... 12.8 143 ...... $198 ..... 12.7
6 ...... $167 ........9.7 61 ...... $153 ........8.9 93 ...... $202 ........9.1 727 ...... $218 ........6.1 36 ...... $165 ......11.7 96 ...... $166 ..... 10.2 80 ...... $203 ..... 10.5 99 ...... $165 ..... 10.5

Unemployment Insurance Statistics

Benefit exhaustions
Last 12 months
17500

15000

12500

10000

7500

5000

2500

0

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

02

03

Thousand 100
90

Initial claims
2002-- 2003

2002

2003

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

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

Initial claims drop below 40,000...

Initial claims filed for unemployment insurance benefits were down 12.8 percent from September to October, dropping from 44,635 to 38,935. October's figure represents the first time in 11 months that initial claims totals fell below the 40,000 plateau (November 2002, 39,659). For the year, initial claims decreased 6,499 from the October 2002 figure of 45,434, a drop of 14.3 percent.
Of the 38,935 initial claims filed during the month, 13,140 (33.7%) were additional claims filings. This figure represents the lowest additional claims total for any month during 2003. For the year, additional claims have accounted for 39.5 percent of all initial claims filed in Georgia.
The Atlanta metropolitan area accounted for 15,658 initial claims during October (40.2% of the state total), a decline of 10.4 percent from October 2002. Augusta (-25.8%), Savannah (-7.5%) and Macon (-3.0%) also saw initial claims on the decline while Columbus (42.3%), Albany (39.7%) and Athens (12.1%) experienced over-the-year growth.
During October, the number of benefit claimants fell 11.7 percent when compared to the previous month and dropped

9.8 percent over the previous year. This month's sum of 70,273 beneficiaries represents the lowest total of laid off workers receiving unemployment benefits since 65,399 claimants drew benefits in April 2001.
Benefit payments, $53,626,227 in October, also diminished both monthly and yearly, falling 19.5 percent and 19.2 percent respectively. For October, there were $9.7 million paid out in services, $6.1 million in manufacturing, $5.3 million in trade and $2.6 million in construction.
First payments, the count of initial payments made to eligible claimants, were down 5.9 percent over the month, dipping from 16,758 to 15,767, while lessening 24.4 percent from October's 2002 figure of 20,869. This month's total is the lowest sum of first payments since October 2000 (14,669).
There were 8,059 claims filed for extended benefits during the month, down 18.3 percent from September and a drop of 18.0 percent from last October. The average duration held at 12.2 weeks for the second consecutive month, falling from 12.9 weeks one year ago.

Statistical Trends

October 2003

October 2002

Net Change

Percent Change

Initial Claims ............................................................ 38,935 ............................... 45,434 .................................. -6,499 .............................-14.3%

Continued Weeks Claimed .................................... 261,021 ............................. 278,969 ................................ -17,948 ...............................-6.4%

Beneficiaries .......................................................... 70,273 ............................... 77,876 .................................. -7,603 ...............................-9.8%

Benefits Paid ................................................. $53,626,227 ...................... $66,371,651 ....................... -$12,745,424 .............................-19.2%

Weeks Paid .......................................................... 225,341 ............................. 281,024 ................................ -55,683 .............................-19.8%

First Payments ....................................................... 15,767 ............................... 20,869 .................................. -5,102 .............................-24.4%

Final Payments ......................................................... 8,031 ............................... 10,167 .................................. -2,136 .............................-21.0%

Average Weekly Benefit ...................................... $237.98 ............................. $236.18 ................................... $1.80 ................................ 0.8%

Average Duration (weeks) ........................................ 12.2 ................................... 12.9 ...................................... -0.7 ...............................-5.4%

Trust Fund Balance..................................... $782,516,947 ................. $1,325,929,144 ..................... -$543,412,197 .............................-41.0%

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The 2003 Edition of the Georgia Career Planner

Georgia Department of Labor
Workforce Information & Analysis Michael L. Thurmond Commissioner

Assistance in choosing a career for
Students Job-seekers Career guidance professionals

Featuring high demand jobs classified by
Personal skills and abilities Work characteristics Education and training Average wages Expected annual job openings

Available in printed format or online at
http://www.dol.state.ga.us/wp/lmi_publications.htm

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To obtain copies to this publication at no charge, please complete and mail this form
If you prefer, you may e-mail your request to ridley.hubbard@dol.state.ga.us or fax to (404) 232-3888
Ridley Hubbard Workforce Information and Analysis Georgia Department of Labor 223 Courtland Street, NE, Suite 300 Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1751

Please send ____ copies of the Georgia Career Planner to:

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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.

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Cheryl Totton or 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
Electronic Delivery
Winston Connally: User Applications

Other Workforce Information Areas
Faye Duzan: The Workforce Investment Act and LMI, & training needs
Bill Webb: Economic Indicators for State and Atlanta MSA
Nancy Murphy: General Information on the Workforce Information and Analysis Division

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Workforce_Info@dol.state.ga.us (404) 232-3875



Upcoming Events
Press Release Dates
November
Unemployment Insurance Claims ................ Dec. 11
Georgia Unemployment Rate/ Non-farmEmployment ...........Dec.18
Civilian Labor Force/Area Unemployment Rates ..........Dec. 25
December
Unemployment Insurance Claims ................ Jan. 15
Georgia Unemployment Rate/ Non-farmEmployment .......... Jan. 22
Civilian Labor Force/Area Unemployment Rates .......... Jan. 29

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