Dimensions: measuring Georgia's workforce, Vol. 29, no. 8 (Aug. 2003)

August 2003 Data
Highlights
Rolling with the economic punches ..... page 2
After an employment loss last month, Georgia bounces back with an increase in employment this month.
Unemployment declines for second straight month ................Page 8
Seasonal factors sway the state's decline in August as young people head back to the classrooms and summer employment drops.
Nearly 90 percent of Georgia counties followed the statewide trend this month and posted lower over-the-month unemployment rates.
New developments .................. Page 14
Initial claims up 12.5 percent over the year... .................... Page 17
August marks seventh consecutive month of over-the-year growth in initial claims filings.
WI&A Customer Satisfaction Team .................. page 19

Volume XXIX, Number 8
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

August Employment Situation

Nonfarm employment in Georgia increased by 31,200 jobs in August. This is impressive considering last month's loss of more than 16,000 jobs. The August increase in nonfarm employment can largely be attributed to the Local Government Education sector that accounted for the addition of 22,400 seasonal jobs. Other sectors contributing to Georgia's nonfarm job growth for the month include Retail Trade, Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation, and Employment Service payrolls. Sectors with negative impact to job growth over the month included Leisure and Hospitality services and Professional, Scientific, and Technical services.
The Construction sector lost 300 jobs in August. This is an unfortunate decline in payroll employment over the month but a striking payroll increase of 8.4 percent (+16,700 jobs) since August of last year. With the addition of 700 and 600 jobs, respectively, the Construction of Buildings and the Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction payrolls could not out-weigh the negative impact of the 1,600 jobs that the Specialty Trade Construction sector lost in August.
Manufacturing lost 900 jobs over the month. Though the manufacture of Durable Goods increased by 800 jobs in August, the manufacture of NonDurable Goods declined by 1,700 jobs. The Manufacturing sector has lost an astonishing 24,500 jobs since August 2002, more than any other industry. As stated last month, manufacturing employment continues to leave the country for less expensive labor and technology elsewhere.
The Trade, Transportation and Utilities sector provided Georgia's economy with a breath of fresh air by posting an increase of 2,900 jobs for August. Retail Trade led the way, as Georgians loaded up on supplies and clothing for school. The Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities sector

also had an upturn in employment. Wholesale Trade continued a trend of decreasing employment as this sector lost 1,800 jobs.
Employment in the Information sector exhibited a modest but well needed increase of 500 jobs in August. Contributing to the employment growth were the Telecommunications and Cable and Other Subscription Programming industries. The Internet Service Providers sector remained unchanged from last month.
Financial Activities payroll employment showed no change in August. Over the year however, the sector did show an increase of 700 jobs. August employment in the Real Estate, Rental and Leasing industry moved up by 100 jobs but was offset by an identical decrease in jobs in Finance and Insurance.
Over the past year, the Professional and Business Services sector experienced a lofty increase of 37,200 jobs. The sector grew by 2,200 payroll employees in August. Lead by heightened payroll employment in Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services (+5,900) and Employment Services (+6,700), this sector continues to show promise. Professional, Scientific and Technical Services have, however, continued to dwindle; down in August by 3,900 jobs.
Education and Health Services payrolls added 5,000 nonfarm employees in August. Educational Services added 1,100 jobs, as colleges and universities across Georgia began new school terms. The demand for healthcare across the state has also affected employment figures as Health Care and Social Assistance payrolls gained 3,900 jobs.
After losing employees last month the Leisure and Hospitality sector continued to suffer, losing 3,200 workers in August. It appears that Georgians are forced to divert money from entertainment related activities to pay for necessities, which has been reflected in the sectors job decline. The silver lining for this sector is that, with an over-the-year increase of 5,000 jobs, it is better off than it was last year.
Employment in the Other Services sector increased by 900 jobs in August. The job increase is modest for the month but represents a notable 7,900 job increase since the same time last year. This sector is comprised of establishments that are not specifically provided for elsewhere in the services industry.
The Government sector represented a bright spot for the state as they increased payrolls by 23,500 jobs. As Federal Government payrolls fell by 100 employees, State and Local Government countered with payroll increases of 2,400 and 21,200 jobs, respectively.
In closing, Georgia is showing signs of slow but deliberate labor market strength. With industry sectors like Employment Services and Retail Trade recording better than expected growth for August, the state is showing its resilience during these tough economic times. While the aforementioned sectors are reassuring for Georgia's August employment situation, the negative impacts of Manufacturing, Construction, and Leisure and Hospitality payrolls are of concern.
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 AUG 2003

Revised JUL 2003

Revised AUG 2002

Change in Jobs from JUL 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs from AUG 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

3,957.4 3,331.5
680.1 3,277.3
12.3 216.7
47.8 33.4 135.5 451.1 197.3 21.5 34.5 253.8 67.1 35.6 825.3 197.8 458.3 78.3 86.6 169.2 20.0 149.2 39.0 46.2 18.2 23.0 128.4
5.9 55.0 32.0 15.2 20.4 214.0 154.7 67.5 59.3 558.4 189.9 28.5 33.0 43.7 23.7 75.5 293.0 150.8 382.5 55.8 14.8 326.7 110.3 49.3 46.3 349.1 46.6 302.5 264.8 193.7 625.9 94.7 32.6 148.8 55.1 382.4 231.1

3,926.2 3,323.8
680.7 3,245.5
11.7 217.0
47.1 32.8 137.1 452.0 196.5 21.7 34.3 255.5 65.8 36.0 822.4 199.6 453.8 78.2 85.8 169.0 20.0 149.0 38.5 46.2 18.5 23.1 127.9
5.8 54.5 31.7 15.1 20.4 214.0 154.8 67.0 59.2 556.2 193.8 29.2 33.8 44.2 24.0 75.3 287.1 144.1 377.5 54.7 14.3 322.8 110.3 47.8 45.4 352.3 48.3 304.0 265.5 192.8 602.4 94.8 32.6 146.4 52.5 361.2 208.7

3,911.8 3,289.9
687.8 3,224.0
12.2 200.0
46.1 31.7 122.2 475.6 208.4 26.6 37.5 267.2 66.9 38.3 831.8 206.0 450.6 82.4 87.1 175.2 20.6 154.6 41.2 47.6 18.1 25.4 130.7
5.7 56.4 34.8 13.9 19.7 213.3 155.2 65.1 58.1 521.2 188.0 26.9 33.6 44.9 24.7 75.5 257.7 127.2 375.2 57.8 15.7 317.4 105.0 50.1 45.1 344.1 38.6 305.5 264.6 185.8 621.9 95.7 33.4 149.9 53.2 376.3 223.1

+31.2 +7.7 -.6
+31.8 +.6 -.3 +.7 +.6 -1.6 -.9 +.8 -.2 +.2 -1.7
+1.3 -.4
+2.9 -1.8 +4.5 +.1 +.8 +.2 +.0 +.2 +.5 +.0
-.3 -.1 +.5 +.1 +.5 +.3 +.1 +.0 +.0 -.1 +.5 +.1 +2.2 -3.9 -.7 -.8 -.5 -.3 +.2 +5.9 +6.7 +5.0 +1.1 +.5 +3.9 +.0 +1.5 +.9 -3.2 -1.7 -1.5 -.7 +.9 +23.5 -.1 +.0 +2.4 +2.6 +21.2 +22.4

+0.8 +0.2 -0.1 +1.0 +5.1 -0.1 +1.5 +1.8 -1.2 -0.2 +0.4 -0.9 +0.6 -0.7 +2.0 -1.1 +0.4 -0.9 +1.0 +0.1 +0.9 +0.1 +0.0 +0.1 +1.3 +0.0 -1.6 -0.4 +0.4 +1.7 +0.9 +0.9 +0.7 +0.0 +0.0 -0.1 +0.7 +0.2 +0.4 -2.0 -2.4 -2.4 -1.1 -1.3 +0.3 +2.1 +4.6 +1.3 +2.0 +3.5 +1.2 +0.0 +3.1 +2.0 -0.9 -3.5 -0.5 -0.3 +0.5 +3.9 -0.1 +0.0 +1.6 +5.0 +5.9 +10.7

+45.6 +41.6
-7.7 +53.3
+.1 +16.7
+1.7 +1.7 +13.3 -24.5 -11.1 -5.1 -3.0 -13.4
+.2 -2.7 -6.5 -8.2 +7.7 -4.1
-.5 -6.0
-.6 -5.4 -2.2 -1.4 +.1 -2.4 -2.3 +.2 -1.4 -2.8 +1.3 +.7 +.7
-.5 +2.4 +1.2 +37.2 +1.9 +1.6
-.6 -1.2 -1.0 +.0 +35.3 +23.6 +7.3 -2.0
-.9 +9.3 +5.3
-.8 +1.2 +5.0 +8.0 -3.0
+.2 +7.9 +4.0 -1.0
-.8 -1.1 +1.9 +6.1 +8.0

+1.2 +1.3 -1.1 +1.7 +0.8 +8.4 +3.7 +5.4 +10.9 -5.2 -5.3 -19.2 -8.0 -5.0 +0.3 -7.0 -0.8 -4.0 +1.7 -5.0 -0.6 -3.4 -2.9 -3.5 -5.3 -2.9 +0.6 -9.4 -1.8 +3.5 -2.5 -8.0 +9.4 +3.6 +0.3 -0.3 +3.7 +2.1 +7.1 +1.0 +5.9 -1.8 -2.7 -4.0 +0.0 +13.7 +18.6 +1.9 -3.5 -5.7 +2.9 +5.0 -1.6 +2.7 +1.5 +20.7 -1.0 +0.1 +4.3 +0.6 -1.0 -2.4 -0.7 +3.6 +1.6 +3.6

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 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 AUG 2003

Revised JUL 2003

Revised AUG 2002

Change in Jobs

from JUL 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs

from AUG 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

2,220.2 1,934.5
286.0 1,934.2
1.7 122.1
30.0 75.2 162.2 76.2 13.6
8.2 86.0 27.1 491.0 132.6 248.6 42.0 43.3 109.8 10.5 99.3 38.1 26.9 14.1
9.7 101.3
4.8 44.6 26.6 13.4 145.3 105.7 47.3 39.6 389.2 145.9 18.0 24.3 33.0 19.5 57.1 186.2 94.7 208.0 171.5 58.9 25.1 204.0 31.0 173.0 152.7 109.7 285.7 46.7 52.9 186.1

2,203.4 1,933.0
288.6 1,914.8
1.7 124.2
28.6 78.2 162.7 76.2 13.7
8.3 86.5 27.9 490.4 134.3 247.0 42.4 42.6 109.1 10.5 98.6 37.5 27.1 14.3
9.8 100.9
4.8 44.6 26.6 13.4 146.2 106.2 47.0 40.0 386.4 147.9 18.6 24.6 33.3 19.7 56.9 181.6 89.7 205.0 168.8 58.6 24.7 205.1 32.2 172.9 153.0 110.4 270.4 46.8 50.4 173.2

2,177.6 1,895.1
290.6 1,887.0
1.8 118.8 26.8 75.1 170.0 83.8 14.3 12.8 86.2 23.4 502.0 141.1 246.0 45.0 44.7 114.9 10.6 104.3 39.9 25.8 14.0 12.0 100.8
4.7 45.6 29.4 12.1 146.2 106.1 46.5 40.1 362.9 142.7 17.7 25.8 34.0 20.3 55.5 164.7 77.7 198.6 162.9 55.1 24.8 195.6 25.0 170.6 148.2 98.4 282.5 46.1 54.8 181.6

+16.8 +0.8 +1.5 +0.1 -2.6 -0.9
+19.4 +1.0 +.0 +0.0 -2.1 -1.7
+1.4 +4.9 -3.0 -3.8
-.5 -0.3 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.7 -.1 -1.2 -.5 -0.6 -.8 -2.9 +.6 +0.1 -1.7 -1.3 +1.6 +0.6 -.4 -0.9 +.7 +1.6 +.7 +0.6 +.0 +0.0 +.7 +0.7 +.6 +1.6 -.2 -0.7 -.2 -1.4 -.1 -1.0 +.4 +0.4 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.9 -0.6 -.5 -0.5 +.3 +0.6 -.4 -1.0 +2.8 +0.7 -2.0 -1.4 -.6 -3.2 -.3 -1.2 -.3 -0.9 -.2 -1.0 +.2 +0.4 +4.6 +2.5 +5.0 +5.6 +3.0 +1.5 +2.7 +1.6 +.3 +0.5 +.4 +1.6 -1.1 -0.5 -1.2 -3.7 +.1 +0.1 -.3 -0.2 -.7 -0.6 +15.3 +5.7 -.1 -0.2 +2.5 +5.0 +12.9 +7.4

+42.6 +39.4
-4.6 +47.2
-.1 +3.3 +3.2
+.1 -7.8 -7.6
-.7 -4.6
-.2 +3.7 -11.0 -8.5 +2.6 -3.0 -1.4 -5.1
-.1 -5.0 -1.8 +1.1 +.1 -2.3 +.5 +.1 -1.0 -2.8 +1.3
-.9 -.4 +.8 -.5 +26.3 +3.2 +.3 -1.5 -1.0 -.8 +1.6 +21.5 +17.0 +9.4 +8.6 +3.8 +.3 +8.4 +6.0 +2.4 +4.5 +11.3 +3.2 +.6 -1.9 +4.5

+2.0 +2.1 -1.6 +2.5 -5.6 +2.8 +11.9 +0.1 -4.6 -9.1 -4.9 -35.9 -0.2 +15.8 -2.2 -6.0 +1.1 -6.7 -3.1 -4.4 -0.9 -4.8 -4.5 +4.3 +0.7 -19.2 +0.5 +2.1 -2.2 -9.5 +10.7 -0.6 -0.4 +1.7 -1.2 +7.2 +2.2 +1.7 -5.8 -2.9 -3.9 +2.9 +13.1 +21.9 +4.7 +5.3 +6.9 +1.2 +4.3 +24.0 +1.4 +3.0 +11.5 +1.1 +1.3 -3.5 +2.5

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 AUG 2003

Revised JUL 2003

Revised AUG 2002

Change in Jobs

from JUL 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs

from AUG 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

57.7

57.1

46.4

46.1

10.7

10.6

47.0

46.5

3.2

3.2

7.5

7.4

11.8

11.7

1.9

1.9

7.1

7.0

2.8

2.8

1.0

1.0

2.0

2.0

5.1

5.1

8.4

8.3

4.4

4.4

3.0

3.0

11.3

11.0

2.4

2.4

8.9

8.6

56.7

+.6 +1.1

+1.0 +1.8

45.4

+.3 +0.7

+1.0 +2.2

10.7

+.1 +0.9

+.0 +0.0

46.0

+.5 +1.1

+1.0 +2.2

3.0

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +6.7

7.7

+.1 +1.4

-.2 -2.6

11.6

+.1 +0.9

+.2 +1.7

1.9

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

6.9

+.1 +1.4

+.2 +2.9

2.8

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

1.0

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

2.1

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -4.8

4.9

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +4.1

7.6

+.1 +1.2

+.8 +10.5

4.4

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

3.1

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -3.2

11.3

+.3 +2.7

+.0 +0.0

2.4

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

8.9

+.3 +3.5

+.0 +0.0

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 AUG 2003

Revised JUL 2003

Revised AUG 2002

Change in Jobs from JUL 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs from AUG 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

73.6

73.7

52.9

52.9

12.1

12.0

61.5

61.7

3.2

3.2

8.9

8.8

12.6

12.7

1.9

1.9

9.5

9.6

1.2

1.2

1.0

1.0

2.5

2.5

5.0

5.0

8.9

8.9

7.0

7.0

3.8

3.8

20.7

20.8

1.6

1.7

19.1

19.1

73.7

-.1 -0.1

-.1 -0.1

52.6

+.0 +0.0

+.3 +0.6

12.7

+.1 +0.8

-.6 -4.7

61.0

-.2 -0.3

+.5 +0.8

3.2

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

9.5

+.1 +1.1

-.6 -6.3

12.2

-.1 -0.8

+.4 +3.3

2.0

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -5.0

9.0

-.1 -1.0

+.5 +5.6

1.2

+.0 +0.0

+.0 +0.0

1.1

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -9.1

2.6

+.0 +0.0

-.1 -3.8

4.9

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +2.0

8.6

+.0 +0.0

+.3 +3.5

6.8

+.0 +0.0

+.2 +2.9

3.7

+.0 +0.0

+.1 +2.7

21.1

-.1 -0.5

-.4 -1.9

1.7

-.1 -5.9

-.1 -5.9

19.4

+.0 +0.0

-.3 -1.5

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 AUG 2003

Revised JUL 2003

Revised AUG 2002

Change in Jobs from JUL 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs from AUG 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

199.3 160.3
37.0 162.3
12.2 24.8 32.8
3.9 24.2
4.7 3.3 7.1 29.9 24.0 3.8 20.2 6.5 18.2 8.0 39.0 7.4 31.6

198.4 160.0
36.9 161.5
12.3 24.6 32.9
3.9 24.2
4.8 3.2 7.0 29.9 23.6 3.8 19.8 6.5 18.5 8.0 38.4 7.4 31.0

198.7 160.2
38.7 160.0
13.1 25.6 33.0
3.9 24.0
5.1 3.3 7.2 29.3 23.0 3.6 19.4 6.3 17.7 8.0 38.5 7.2 31.3

+.9 +0.5 +.3 +0.2 +.1 +0.3 +.8 +0.5 -.1 -0.8 +.2 +0.8 -.1 -0.3 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -2.1 +.1 +3.1 +.1 +1.4 +.0 +0.0 +.4 +1.7 +.0 +0.0 +.4 +2.0 +.0 +0.0 -.3 -1.6 +.0 +0.0 +.6 +1.6 +.0 +0.0 +.6 +1.9

+.6 +0.3 +.1 +0.1 -1.7 -4.4 +2.3 +1.4 -.9 -6.9 -.8 -3.1 -.2 -0.6 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +0.8 -.4 -7.8 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -1.4 +.6 +2.0 +1.0 +4.3 +.2 +5.6 +.8 +4.1 +.2 +3.2 +.5 +2.8 +.0 +0.0 +.5 +1.3 +.2 +2.8 +.3 +1.0

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 AUG 2003

Revised JUL 2003

Revised AUG 2002

Change in Jobs from JUL 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs from AUG 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

114.1 93.5 18.9 95.2
5.6 13.3 18.4
2.1 14.4
1.9 6.2 8.3 6.5 4.8 14.2 11.0 10.8 9.1 5.7 20.6 4.8 15.8

113.8 94.2 19.3 94.5
5.6 13.7 18.3
2.1 14.3
1.9 6.2 8.4 6.5 4.8 14.2 11.0 11.1 9.1 5.7 19.6 4.8 14.8

115.3 94.3 21.0 94.3
5.6 15.4 17.4
2.1 13.3
2.0 6.3 7.7 6.0 4.4 14.1 10.8 11.3 10.1 5.7 21.0 5.4 15.6

+.3 +0.3 -.7 -0.7 -.4 -2.1 +.7 +0.7 +.0 +0.0 -.4 -2.9 +.1 +0.5 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.7 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -1.2 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.3 -2.7 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +1.0 +5.1 +.0 +0.0 +1.0 +6.8

-1.2 -1.0 -.8 -0.8
-2.1 -10.0 +.9 +1.0 +.0 +0.0 -2.1 -13.6 +1.0 +5.7 +.0 +0.0 +1.1 +8.3 -.1 -5.0 -.1 -1.6 +.6 +7.8 +.5 +8.3 +.4 +9.1 +.1 +0.7 +.2 +1.9 -.5 -4.4 -1.0 -9.9 +.0 +0.0 -.4 -1.9 -.6 -11.1 +.2 +1.3

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 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 AUG 2003

Revised JUL 2003

Revised AUG 2002

Change in Jobs

from JUL 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs

from AUG 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

148.6 114.7 22.3 126.3
6.4 15.9 25.8
3.2 18.4
4.2 2.5 10.6 15.4 18.3 14.1 5.7 33.9 13.7 20.2

147.4 114.5 22.4 125.0
6.5 15.9 25.8
3.2 18.4
4.2 2.5 10.5 15.2 18.3 14.1 5.7 32.9 13.7 19.2

148.4 114.0 22.1 126.3
6.5 15.6 26.1
3.4 18.3
4.4 2.7 9.3 15.5 19.0 13.6 5.7 34.4 14.1 20.3

+1.2 +0.8 +.2 +0.2 -.1 -0.4
+1.3 +1.0 -.1 -1.5 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +1.0 +.2 +1.3 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0
+1.0 +3.0 +.0 +0.0
+1.0 +5.2

+.2 +0.1 +.7 +0.6 +.2 +0.9 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -1.5 +.3 +1.9 -.3 -1.1 -.2 -5.9 +.1 +0.5 -.2 -4.5 -.2 -7.4 +1.3 +14.0 -.1 -0.6 -.7 -3.7 +.5 +3.7 +.0 +0.0 -.5 -1.5 -.4 -2.8 -.1 -0.5

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 AUG 2003

Revised JUL 2003

Revised AUG 2002

Change in Jobs

from JUL 2003

Net

%

Change in Jobs

from AUG 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

138.1 118.2 22.3 115.8
8.7 13.6
4.9 2.9 31.0 4.4 17.9 8.7 2.6 5.5 15.5 16.5 16.2 8.6 19.9 2.6 17.3

137.6 118.3 22.2 115.4
8.6 13.6
4.9 2.9 31.1 4.4 18.0 8.7 2.6 5.5 15.5 16.4 16.5 8.5 19.3 2.6 16.7

138.7 118.2 22.4 116.3
8.1 14.3
5.3 3.1 30.3 4.6 17.4 8.3 2.6 5.7 14.4 17.2 17.4 8.2 20.5 2.6 17.9

+.5 +0.4 -.1 -0.1 +.1 +0.5 +.4 +0.3 +.1 +1.2 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.3 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.6 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.6 -.3 -1.8 +.1 +1.2 +.6 +3.1 +.0 +0.0 +.6 +3.6

-.6 -0.4 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.4 -.5 -0.4 +.6 +7.4 -.7 -4.9 -.4 -7.5 -.2 -6.5 +.7 +2.3 -.2 -4.3 +.5 +2.9 +.4 +4.8 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -3.5 +1.1 +7.6 -.7 -4.1 -1.2 -6.9 +.4 +4.9 -.6 -2.9 +.0 +0.0 -.6 -3.4

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 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
Georgia's unemployment rate, at 4.7 percent, declined in August after an overthe-month drop of six-tenths of a percentage point from July's revised rate of 5.3 percent. Typical for this period, seasonal factors swayed the decline this month preserving the long-standing downward trend that has been in place for thirty-three of the past thirty-four years. The state's rate was 5.2 percent in August 2002.
The U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, also declined in August. With an over-the-month drop of threetenths of a percentage point, the nation's rate was 6.0 percent in August. In drawing comparisons between Georgia and the nation as a whole, it is worth noting that Georgia's rate has held a long-term favorable position. With more than one and three-tenths percentage points below the national rate in August, Georgia's rate has prevailed at or below the U.S. average for nearly three years. One year ago, the nation's rate was 5.7 percent.
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 number of unemployed persons this month. A seasonal decline in the number of summer job seekers was also a contributing factor to the state's lower unemployment level as young people returned to school and summer jobs declined. At less than

Unemployment rates -- Georgia and U.S.

7.0%

Georgia

U.S.

6.0%

5.0%

4.0%

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

2002

2003

206,000, Georgia's total unemployment count was down over the month by more than 26,000 or 11.3 percent. The state also saw significant improvement over the year as well, having dropped by slightly more than 18,000 (-8.1%) from August 2002.
Area data
With the exception of Columbus, Georgia's Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) followed the statewide trend in August and posted lower unemployment rates. For more than two years now, Athens has played the key part in the lowest rate ranking. With an over-the-month drop of only one-tenth-percentage point, Athens, at 3.2 percent, continued that role this month and posted the lowest rate in the state for the 26th consecutive month. Columbus, the only metro area to increase over the

month, weighed in at 6.1 percent and posted the highest rate in August. This was the tenth time in thirteen months Co lumbus has held that distinction.
In August, nearly 90 percent of the counties in Georgia posted lower unemployment rates. In absolute terms, 142 counties had over-the-month declines, 12 counties posted increases and only 5 counties remained the same. For most of the year, Warren County had the highest county rate. This month, Burke County, at 12.2 percent, reigned in that category. On the other end of the spectrum, Oconee County had dominated in the lowest rate category for the better part of the year. In August, Oconee, at 1.9 percent, moved down a notch and relinquished that title to Rabun County at 1.8 percent.

Southeastern states and U.S. unemployment rates
Percent

9

August

July

8

7.3

7.4

7

6

5.9 5.8 5.5 5.5

6.2 6.3 5.3 5.2

5

4.7

6.9

6.4

6.4

6.3 6.0 5.1 5.4

4

3

2

1

0

AL

FL

GA

KY

MS

NC

SC

TN

US

8

In August, Georgia continued to show its muscle in the Southeast. After posting a sixtenths percentage point decline this month, Georgia's jobless rate, for the eighth time this year, registered the lowest in the region. Georgia, at 4.7 percent, was the only state in the region to post an unemployment rate in the four percent range in August. The other southeastern states had jobless rates that ranged from 5.1 percent in Tennessee (the second lowest in the region) to a high of 6.4 percent, posted by both North Carolina and South Carolina. Both of the Carolinas were also two of only three states with rates above the national average of 6.0 percent in August. Mississippi, at 6.3 percent, was the third state to exceed the U.S. average this month.

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 AUG 2003

Revised JUL 2003

Revised AUG 2002

Change From

Revised

Revised

JUL 2003

AUG 2002

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

4,377,022 4,171,388
205,634 4.7

4,402,323 4,170,578
231,745 5.3

4,287,594 4,063,935
223,659 5.2

-25,301 810
-26,111

89,428 107,453 -18,025

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

56,512 53,782
2,730 4.8

56,799 53,784
3,015 5.3

55,116 52,002
3,114 5.6

-287 -2
-285

1,396 1,780 -384

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

77,048 74,618
2,430 3.2

77,989 75,443
2,546 3.3

75,849 73,300
2,549 3.4

-941 -825 -116

1,199 1,318
-119

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

2,427,913 2,310,178
117,735 4.8

2,439,450 2,309,908
129,542 5.3

2,371,441 2,242,052
129,389 5.5

-11,537 270
-11,807

56,472 68,126 -11,654

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

214,532 203,919
10,613 4.9

221,106 204,810
16,296 7.4

209,179 198,096
11,083 5.3

-6,574 -891
-5,683

5,353 5,823 -470

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

125,513 117,867
7,646 6.1

125,777 118,400
7,377 5.9

124,893 117,107
7,786 6.2

-264 -533 269

620 760 -140

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed
Rate

155,938 149,583
6,355 4.1

156,251 149,645
6,606 4.2

154,302 147,416
6,886 4.5

-313 -62
-251

1,636 2,167 -531

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate

142,975 137,048
5,927 4.1

146,212 137,922
8,290 5.7

142,243 136,039
6,204 4.4

-3,237 -874
-2,363

732 1,009 -277

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

AUG 2003
146,530,000 137,625,000
8,905,000 6.1

JUL 2003
146,540,000 137,478,000
9,062,000 6.2

AUG 2002
145,123,000 136,757,000
8,366,000 5.8

Change From

JUL 2003

AUG 2002

-10,000 147,000 -157,000

1,407,000 868,000 539,000

United States
(Not Seasonally adjusted)

Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed

146,967,000 138,137,000
8,830,000

147,822,000 138,503,000
9,319,000

145,565,000 137,295,000
8,271,000

-855,000 -366,000 -489,000

1,402,000 842,000 559,000

Rate

6.0

6.3

5.7

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 August 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

Revised July 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

4,377,022 4,171,388 205,634 4.7

7,805 3,075 3,787 1,847 18,102

7,222 2,849 3,573 1,779 17,537

583 7.5 226 7.3 214 5.7
68 3.7 565 3.1

4,402,323 4,170,578 231,745 5.3

7,910 3,089 3,792 1,845 18,105

7,204 2,842 3,565 1,770 17,501

706 8.9 247 8.0 227 6.0
75 4.1 604 3.3

Banks Barrow Bartow Ben Hill Berrien

7,371

7,118

253 3.4

24,633 23,396 1,237 5.0

42,212 40,119 2,093 5.0

8,956 8,491

465 5.2

6,504 6,257

247 3.8

7,394 24,968 42,849
8,968 6,464

7,104 23,394 40,114
8,471 6,239

290 3.9 1,574 6.3 2,735 6.4
497 5.5 225 3.5

Bibb Bleckley Brantley Brooks Bryan

72,467 69,316 3,151 4.3

5,886 5,718

168 2.9

7,285 6,867

418 5.7

7,595 7,387

208 2.7

11,497 11,139

358 3.1

72,818 5,908 7,364 7,615 11,760

69,344 5,706 6,853 7,371 11,210

3,474 4.8 202 3.4 511 6.9 244 3.2 550 4.7

Bulloch Burke Butts Calhoun Camden

28,132 9,875 9,564 2,414
17,933

27,330 8,673 9,090 2,279
17,060

802 2.9 1,202 12.2
474 5.0 135 5.6 873 4.9

28,242 9,839 9,608 2,444
18,086

27,273 8,653 9,072 2,272
17,025

969 3.4 1,186 12.1
536 5.6 172 7.0 1,061 5.9

Candler Carroll Catoosa Charlton Chatham

4,132 3,995

137 3.3

47,312 45,070 2,242 4.7

28,316 27,609

707 2.5

4,751 4,491

260 5.5

111,944 107,045 4,899 4.4

4,146

3,983

163 3.9

47,781 45,065 2,716 5.7

28,353 27,545

808 2.8

4,792 4,481

311 6.5

114,155 107,727 6,428 5.6

Chattahoochee 2,170 1,990

180 8.3

Chattooga

11,326 10,914

412 3.6

Cherokee

86,726 83,319 3,407 3.9

Clarke

49,427 47,743 1,684 3.4

Clay

1,863 1,796

67 3.6

2,209 11,330 87,105 49,983 1,843

1,999 10,890 83,310 48,271
1,791

210 9.5 440 3.9 3,795 4.4 1,712 3.4
52 2.8

Clayton Clinch Cobb Coffee Colquitt

143,167 134,503 8,664 6.1

2,912 2,763

149 5.1

381,184 365,655 15,529 4.1

21,639 20,121 1,518 7.0

19,180 18,290

890 4.6

143,721 134,488 9,233 6.4

2,913

2,756

157 5.4

382,466 365,613 16,853 4.4

21,698 20,073 1,625 7.5

19,144 18,245

899 4.7

Columbia Cook Coweta Crawford Crisp

43,966 42,723 1,243 2.8

8,090 7,644

446 5.5

48,212 46,088 2,124 4.4

6,043 5,799

244 4.0

9,375 8,869

506 5.4

44,380 8,006
49,552 6,021 9,475

42,905 7,625
46,083 5,781 8,848

1,475 3.3 381 4.8
3,469 7.0 240 4.0 627 6.6

Revised August 2002

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

4,287,594 4,063,935 223,659 5.2

7,814 2,908 3,711 1,732 18,127

7,004 2,713 3,442 1,659 17,273

810 10.4 195 6.7 269 7.2
73 4.2 854 4.7

7,199 23,899 41,072
8,687 6,225

6,894 22,706 38,936
8,207 5,995

305 4.2 1,193 5.0 2,136 5.2
480 5.5 230 3.7

71,915 5,865 7,195 7,544 11,431

68,311 5,576 6,733 7,212 11,057

3,604 5.0 289 4.9 462 6.4 332 4.4 374 3.3

27,560 9,255 9,407 2,270
17,445

26,714 8,435 8,927 2,144
16,750

846 3.1 820 8.9 480 5.1 126 5.6 695 4.0

3,993 46,456 28,172
4,577 111,284

3,832 43,741 27,300
4,409 106,257

161 4.0 2,715 5.8
872 3.1 168 3.7 5,027 4.5

2,182 11,004 84,331 48,672 1,756

1,984 10,723 80,862 46,900
1,711

198 9.1 281 2.6 3,469 4.1 1,772 3.6
45 2.6

139,649 130,537 9,112 6.5

2,810 2,666

144 5.1

373,101 354,872 18,229 4.9

20,443 19,460

983 4.8

18,424 17,572

852 4.6

43,598 7,706
46,829 5,932 9,150

42,010 7,395
44,729 5,659 8,517

1,588 3.6 311 4.0
2,100 4.5 273 4.6 633 6.9

10

Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Dade Dawson Decatur DeKalb Dodge

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

Preliminary August 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

Revised July 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

7,544 7,277

267 3.5

10,960 10,632

328 3.0

11,543 10,841

702 6.1

396,044 373,893 22,151 5.6

10,404 10,044

360 3.5

7,600

7,260

340 4.5

10,933 10,545

388 3.5

11,588 10,814

774 6.7

398,020 373,849 24,171 6.1

10,436

9,996

440 4.2

Dooly Dougherty Douglas Early Echols

4,678 4,342

336 7.2

43,290 40,957 2,333 5.4

54,302 51,737 2,565 4.7

5,086 4,740

346 6.8

1,801 1,760

41 2.3

4,730

4,332

398 8.4

43,521 40,959 2,562 5.9

54,376 51,731 2,645 4.9

5,134

4,725

409 8.0

1,805 1,756

49 2.7

Effingham Elbert Emanuel Evans Fannin

19,534 9,844 8,624 5,393
10,271

18,864 9,281 8,056 5,235 9,757

670 3.4 563 5.7 568 6.6 158 2.9 514 5.0

20,298 18,985 1,313 6.5

9,962

9,261

701 7.0

8,727

8,028

699 8.0

5,430

5,224

206 3.8

10,331

9,725

606 5.9

Fayette Floyd Forsyth Franklin Fulton

51,554 49,910 1,644 3.2

47,196 45,122 2,074 4.4

61,641 59,604 2,037 3.3

11,354 10,877

477 4.2

438,015 412,615 25,400 5.8

51,766 49,904 1,862 3.6

47,843 45,028 2,815 5.9

61,828 59,597 2,231 3.6

11,528 10,854

674 5.8

439,882 412,567 27,315 6.2

Gilmer Glascock Glynn Gordon Grady

9,673 9,291

382 3.9

1,033

989

44 4.3

37,579 36,284 1,295 3.4

22,474 21,400 1,074 4.8

9,978 9,599

379 3.8

9,715

9,275

440 4.5

1,035

985

50 4.8

37,627 36,220 1,407 3.7

22,575 21,355 1,220 5.4

10,459

9,560

899 8.6

Greene

5,678 5,308

370 6.5

Gwinnett

382,345 366,758 15,587 4.1

Habersham 16,653 16,065

588 3.5

Hall

79,984 77,256 2,728 3.4

Hancock

3,692 3,453

239 6.5

5,710

5,297

413 7.2

383,986 366,715 17,271 4.5

16,734 16,031

703 4.2

80,145 76,919 3,226 4.0

3,721

3,444

277 7.4

Haralson Harris Hart Heard Henry

10,430 9,881

549 5.3

12,872 12,394

478 3.7

9,595 9,146

449 4.7

5,324 5,061

263 4.9

72,878 69,730 3,148 4.3

10,462

9,847

615 5.9

12,969 12,450

519 4.0

9,745

9,126

619 6.4

5,453

5,038

415 7.6

73,190 69,722 3,468 4.7

Houston Irwin Jackson Jasper Jeff Davis

55,222 53,438 1,784 3.2

5,290 5,020

270 5.1

24,404 23,478

926 3.8

5,234 4,946

288 5.5

5,531 5,061

470 8.5

55,253 53,460 1,793 3.2

5,317

5,009

308 5.8

24,472 23,428 1,044 4.3

5,222

4,929

293 5.6

5,555

5,049

506 9.1

Revised August 2002

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

7,560 7,195

365 4.8

10,598 10,171

427 4.0

11,243 10,474

769 6.8

388,139 362,867 25,272 6.5

10,212 9,777

435 4.3

4,453 42,300 52,898
4,833 1,778

4,170 39,601 50,211
4,512 1,718

283 6.4 2,699 6.4 2,687 5.1
321 6.6 60 3.4

19,528 9,619 8,479 5,330
10,067

18,725 9,021 7,850 5,066 9,565

803 4.1 598 6.2 629 7.4 264 5.0 502 5.0

50,011 48,439 1,572 3.1

46,547 44,444 2,103 4.5

60,302 57,846 2,456 4.1

11,108 10,569

539 4.9

429,124 400,447 28,677 6.7

9,438 1,012 37,038 21,958 9,555

9,019 961
35,584 20,933
9,187

419 4.4 51 5.0
1,454 3.9 1,025 4.7
368 3.9

5,758 373,504
16,218 78,627
3,754

5,154 355,943
15,608 75,740
3,376

604 10.5 17,561 4.7
610 3.8 2,887 3.7
378 10.1

10,270 12,682
9,442 5,271 70,720

9,713 12,351
8,899 4,956 67,674

557 5.4 331 2.6 543 5.8 315 6.0 3,046 4.3

54,549 5,086
23,921 5,120 5,576

52,664 4,852
22,871 4,841 4,899

1,885 3.5 234 4.6
1,050 4.4 279 5.4 677 12.1

11

Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Jefferson Jenkins Johnson Jones Lamar

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

Preliminary August 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

Revised July 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

7,269 4,136 3,097 12,630 6,614

6,590 3,929 2,809 12,196 6,219

679 9.3 207 5.0 288 9.3 434 3.4 395 6.0

7,311 4,139 3,118 12,638 6,644

6,574 3,908 2,803 12,201 6,192

737 10.1 231 5.6 315 10.1 437 3.5 452 6.8

Lanier Laurens Lee Liberty Lincoln

3,550 3,468

82 2.3

23,640 22,192 1,448 6.1

13,222 12,825

397 3.0

19,335 18,327 1,008 5.2

2,600 2,389

211 8.1

3,580 23,872 13,278 19,470
2,657

3,461 22,146 12,825 18,287
2,383

119 3.3 1,726 7.2
453 3.4 1,183 6.1
274 10.3

Long Lowndes Lumpkin McDuffie McIntosh

4,988 4,863

125 2.5

45,601 44,124 1,477 3.2

11,260 10,942

318 2.8

9,315 8,777

538 5.8

5,131 4,917

214 4.2

5,027 45,671 11,678
9,655 5,140

4,853 44,028 10,886
8,815 4,906

174 3.5 1,643 3.6
792 6.8 840 8.7 234 4.6

Macon Madison Marion Meriwether Miller

5,426 13,480
2,854 9,286 3,365

4,980 13,003
2,707 8,553 3,207

446 8.2 477 3.5 147 5.2 733 7.9 158 4.7

5,373 13,683
2,898 9,354 3,396

4,965 13,147
2,700 8,515 3,199

408 7.6 536 3.9 198 6.8 839 9.0 197 5.8

Mitchell Monroe Montgomery Morgan Murray

12,331 8,192 3,680 8,241
19,941

11,743 7,755 3,444 7,888 19,218

588 4.8 437 5.3 236 6.4 353 4.3 723 3.6

12,325 8,187 3,679 8,219
19,986

11,712 7,722 3,435 7,867 19,138

613 5.0 465 5.7 244 6.6 352 4.3 848 4.2

Muscogee Newton Oconee Oglethorpe Paulding

85,467 80,388 5,079 5.9

33,953 31,941 2,012 5.9

14,140 13,871

269 1.9

6,704 6,420

284 4.2

47,697 45,777 1,920 4.0

85,576 33,960 14,323
6,711 47,948

80,753 31,937 14,025
6,403 45,771

4,823 5.6 2,023 6.0
298 2.1 308 4.6 2,177 4.5

Peach Pickens Pierce Pike Polk

11,217 12,848
7,907 7,941 18,774

10,440 12,309
7,626 7,544 17,977

777 6.9 539 4.2 281 3.6 397 5.0 797 4.2

11,114 10,445

669 6.0

12,855 12,308

547 4.3

7,909

7,607

302 3.8

7,962

7,513

449 5.6

19,031 17,897 1,134 6.0

Pulaski Putnam Quitman Rabun Randolph

4,230 10,667
1,374 7,785 3,199

4,097 10,316
1,325 7,648 2,981

133 3.1 351 3.3
49 3.6 137 1.8 218 6.8

4,220 10,643
1,375 7,844 3,279

4,075 10,271
1,321 7,640 2,975

145 3.4 372 3.5
54 3.9 204 2.6 304 9.3

Revised August 2002

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

7,150 3,948 2,944 12,538 6,563

6,403 3,769 2,724 12,019 6,077

747 10.4 179 4.5 220 7.5 519 4.1 486 7.4

3,531 22,920 12,816 19,392
2,577

3,386 21,689 12,401 18,052
2,321

145 4.1 1,231 5.4
415 3.2 1,340 6.9
256 9.9

4,935 44,614 11,035
9,333 5,094

4,790 43,080 10,657
8,631 4,799

145 2.9 1,534 3.4
378 3.4 702 7.5 295 5.8

5,157 13,274
2,766 9,001 3,217

4,752 12,774
2,611 8,376 3,058

405 7.9 500 3.8 155 5.6 625 6.9 159 4.9

11,889 8,098 3,621 7,888 19,830

11,295 7,606 3,345 7,617 18,904

594 5.0 492 6.1 276 7.6 271 3.4 926 4.7

85,162 32,922 13,903
6,539 46,279

80,111 30,999 13,626
6,260 44,427

5,051 5.9 1,923 5.8
277 2.0 279 4.3 1,852 4.0

10,906 12,386
7,683 7,743 18,578

10,289 11,946 7,355 7,393 17,650

617 5.7 440 3.6 328 4.3 350 4.5 928 5.0

4,182 10,465
1,342 7,596 3,128

3,944 10,083
1,291 7,437 2,855

238 5.7 382 3.7
51 3.8 159 2.1 273 8.7

12

Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted)

Richmond Rockdale Schley Screven Seminole

Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older

Preliminary August 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

Revised July 2003

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

82,435 77,642 4,793 5.8

40,468 38,651 1,817 4.5

1,796 1,708

88 4.9

5,662 5,306

356 6.3

4,704 4,541

163 3.5

83,612 77,973 5,639 6.7

40,514 38,647 1,867 4.6

1,804

1,700

104 5.8

5,832

5,294

538 9.2

4,734

4,527

207 4.4

Spalding Stephens Stewart Sumter Talbot

29,674 27,781 1,893 6.4

12,750 11,962

788 6.2

2,327 2,174

153 6.6

14,708 13,894

814 5.5

3,170 2,973

197 6.2

30,036 27,777 2,259 7.5

12,972 11,938 1,034 8.0

2,326

2,169

157 6.7

14,727 13,863

864 5.9

3,161

2,959

202 6.4

Taliaferro Tattnall Taylor Telfair Terrell

830 7,153 3,837 3,923 4,019

769 6,860 3,630 3,621 3,766

61 7.3 293 4.1 207 5.4 302 7.7 253 6.3

835 7,177 3,775 3,988 4,049

767 6,837 3,619 3,613 3,756

68 8.1 340 4.7 156 4.1 375 9.4 293 7.2

Thomas Tift Toombs Towns Treutlen

23,365 21,317 11,460
4,700 2,927

22,507 20,526 10,677
4,611 2,730

858 3.7 791 3.7 783 6.8
89 1.9 197 6.7

23,487 21,244 11,560
4,712 3,046

22,459 20,477 10,651
4,605 2,723

1,028 4.4 767 3.6 909 7.9 107 2.3 323 10.6

Troup Turner Twiggs Union Upson

31,622 29,873 1,749 5.5

4,653 4,355

298 6.4

4,401 4,193

208 4.7

9,166 8,840

326 3.6

10,856 10,109

747 6.9

32,028 29,814 2,214 6.9

4,692

4,343

349 7.4

4,429

4,195

234 5.3

9,132

8,824

308 3.4

10,800 10,090

710 6.6

Walker Walton Ware Warren Washington

30,799 33,045 15,517
2,498 9,533

29,715 31,320 14,841
2,240 9,054

1,084 3.5 1,725 5.2
676 4.4 258 10.3 479 5.0

30,901 32,647 15,582
2,613 9,588

29,647 31,317 14,811
2,236 9,032

1,254 4.1 1,330 4.1
771 4.9 377 14.4 556 5.8

Wayne Webster Wheeler White Whitfield

11,742 11,154

588 5.0

1,167 1,118

49 4.2

2,046 1,876

170 8.3

9,968 9,661

307 3.1

49,608 48,101 1,507 3.0

11,809 1,170 2,080 10,040 49,749

11,131 1,113 1,872 9,645
48,000

678 5.7 57 4.9
208 10.0 395 3.9 1,749 3.5

Wilcox Wilkes Wilkinson Worth

3,550 5,199 4,301 9,411

3,369 4,787 4,059 8,936

181 5.1 412 7.9 242 5.6 475 5.0

3,588 5,246 4,312 9,375

3,361 4,761 4,051 8,908

227 6.3 485 9.2 261 6.1 467 5.0

Revised August 2002

Labor Force

Employment

Unemployment Number Rate

81,928 39,229
1,716 5,419 4,542

76,346 37,512
1,657 5,100 4,320

5,582 6.8 1,717 4.4
59 3.4 319 5.9 222 4.9

28,867 12,401
2,218 14,414
3,066

26,961 11,738 2,102 13,495 2,901

1,906 6.6 663 5.3 116 5.2 919 6.4 165 5.4

832 6,906 3,660 3,909 3,964

738 6,505 3,497 3,480 3,600

94 11.3 401 5.8 163 4.5 429 11.0 364 9.2

22,813 20,627 11,359
4,579 2,900

21,881 19,848 10,372
4,471 2,652

932 4.1 779 3.8 987 8.7 108 2.4 248 8.6

31,212 4,452 4,392 8,840
10,850

29,347 4,133 4,132 8,508 9,904

1,865 6.0 319 7.2 260 5.9 332 3.8 946 8.7

30,612 31,722 15,242
2,487 9,345

29,383 30,397 14,512
2,184 8,845

1,229 4.0 1,325 4.2
730 4.8 303 12.2 500 5.4

11,591 1,112 1,970 9,685
49,039

10,895 1,067 1,803 9,372
47,330

696 6.0 45 4.0
167 8.5 313 3.2 1,709 3.5

3,408 5,031 4,291 9,062

3,236 4,632 3,998 8,566

172 5.0 399 7.9 293 6.8 496 5.5

13

New Developments

Mestek, Inc. is expanding its operations with the
addition of 25,000 square feet of manufacturing space at its plant in Wrens . Representing a price tag of about $6 million, Westek's expansion project will include a new product line of air distribution products, including diffusers, grills and registers for the industrial and commercial market. The plant currently produces fire dampers, back draft dampers and the "Space Pak" portable residential air conditioning system. Headquartered in Westfield, Mass., Westek operates more than 30 specialty manufacturing facilities providing heating, ventilating and air conditioning products, coil handling equipment, extruded aluminum products and computer information systems and services. The company opened the Wrens facility in 1970 with about 68 people. Today Westek employs about 120. When the expansion is completed, the company hopes to fill about 35-40 job vacancies that will generate about $1 million per year in new wages in Jefferson County.
Georgia Crown Distributing is moving its opera-
tions to a new facility in McDonough. Carrying a price tag of $12.5 million, Georgia Crown recently purchased the land on a 40-acre site in the Westridge Industrial Park where construction recently began. The new facility will be the company's new headquarters and will also house a distribution warehouse and its maintenance operations. It will include more than 29,000 square feet for the office structure, 414,534 square feet for warehouse space and a 21,684-square-foot maintenance facility. Currently headquartered in Columbus, Georgia Crown is a full service beverage distributor that sells imported and domestic spirits, wines, beers and specialty products. In 1990, the company expanded and entered the home and office bottled water business. Georgia Crown currently has between 25 and 30 people in Columbus and employs about 1,600 people

in Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. The construction project is expected to be completed by August 2004 and will initially employ about 125 people. However, that number could grow to 200 at a future date in Henry County.
MBM Corporation recently announced plans that
it will begin operating a distribution center in Cordele . The new facility will be located in the building previously occupied by Phillips Electric. The current facility, which is 77,100 square feet, will be expanded to include an additional 30,000 square feet of freezer and refrigerated space. MBM is one of the leading privately owned food service distributors in the United States. It provides supplies to restaurant chains in Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and South Carolina. Some of the chains served by MBM are Olive Garden, Chick-Fil-A, Golden Corral and Red Lobster, Arby's, Burger King and Bahama Breeze. MBM will also benefit from the Georgia Quick Start program for employee training through the South Georgia Technical College programs. The new facility is expected to be up and running in November and will employ about 80 new workers during the first year of operation. It is expected to increase by an additional 100 people by the second year giving an economic boost to Crisp County.
The Omni Hotel is nearing the final stages of its
$100 million expansion at the CNN Center in downtown Atlanta. Located adjacent to such major tourist attractions as the Georgia World Congress Center, Philips Arena and Centennial Olympic Park, the 600room tower is adjacent to the existing 15-story Omni Hotel, which also got a $9 million renovation. The new facility is expected to open in November, creating approximately 400 new jobs in Fulton County.

14

Georgia Unemployment Rates by County

August 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 4.7% to 9.9% Less than 4.7%

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: 4.7%
15

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

77 ...... $215 ..... 10.5

Atkinson

94 ...... $200 ........8.3

Bacon

39 ...... $210 ........7.6

Baker

8 ...... $154 ......11.7

Baldwin

324 ...... $190 ........9.5

Banks

65 ...... $213 ........9.0

Barrow

246 ...... $210 ..... 12.5

Bartow

497 ...... $226 ..... 10.2

Ben Hill

187 ...... $159 ........7.8

Berrien

65 ...... $190 ........9.9

Bibb

611 ...... $175 ..... 13.2

Bleckley

49 ...... $157 ........9.4

Brantley

67 ...... $238 ..... 15.4

Brooks

35 ...... $182 ..... 10.1

Bryan

55 ...... $231 ..... 10.8

Bulloch

186 ...... $207 ..... 12.0

Burke

243 ...... $181 ..... 10.7

Butts

107 ...... $211 ..... 12.2

Calhoun

20 ...... $168 ..... 12.4

Camden

88 ...... $187 ..... 17.3

Candler

36 ...... $184 ......11.9

Carroll

400 ...... $215 ..... 12.3

Catoosa

286 ...... $240 ........8.0

Charlton

30 ...... $179 ..... 14.5

Chatham

614 ...... $201 ..... 12.7

Chattahoochee 10 ...... $186 ..... 13.6

Chattooga

56 ...... $219 ..... 13.4

Cherokee

442 ...... $244 ..... 13.6

Clarke

394 ...... $196 ......11.9

Clay

13 ...... $162 ........8.5

Clayton

1,464 ...... $222 ..... 15.0

Clinch

27 ...... $204 ......11.1

Cobb

1,808 ...... $241 ..... 16.3

Coffee

298 ...... $202 ........9.2

Colquitt

224 ...... $165 ..... 10.8

Columbia

197 ...... $226 ..... 13.1

Cook

174 ...... $199 ..... 10.1

Coweta

354 ...... $229 ......11.2

Crawford

61 ...... $207 ..... 10.9

Crisp

78 ...... $162 ..... 12.6

Dade

34 ...... $226 ........6.5

Dawson

46 ...... $238 ..... 12.3

Decatur

133 ...... $174 ......11.0

DeKalb

2,950 ...... $227 ..... 15.5

Dodge

59 ...... $175 ......11.6

Dooly

53 ...... $145 ..... 12.5

Dougherty

361 ...... $163 ..... 12.2

Douglas

393 ...... $243 ..... 14.7

Early

30 ...... $164 ..... 13.9

Echols

7 ...... $253 ........7.9

Effingham

131 ...... $244 ........9.1

Elbert

237 ...... $174 ........7.4

Emanuel

140 ...... $163 ........9.6

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

20 ...... $195 ......11.5 110 ...... $199 ..... 14.0 183 ...... $246 ..... 13.8 916 ...... $214 ........9.0 232 ...... $254 ..... 16.3 209 ...... $208 ........8.4 3,244 ...... $219 ..... 15.9
99 ...... $226 ........9.0 12 ...... $232 ..... 10.0 206 ...... $198 ..... 14.6 385 ...... $212 ........7.3 86 ...... $186 ........8.6 104 ...... $154 ..... 10.5 2,060 ...... $245 ..... 15.2 207 ...... $204 ........7.4 534 ...... $216 ..... 10.8 112 ...... $153 ........9.4 108 ...... $217 ..... 10.9 142 ...... $234 ........9.2 403 ...... $166 ........7.7 43 ...... $234 ..... 10.3 500 ...... $234 ..... 14.5 349 ...... $200 ..... 12.2 51 ...... $169 ..... 10.3 166 ...... $220 ..... 10.8 84 ...... $211 ..... 10.1 43 ...... $199 ........9.9 137 ...... $187 ..... 10.9 77 ...... $177 ........8.9 64 ...... $162 ..... 10.6 110 ...... $204 ..... 12.0 114 ...... $196 ........9.5 17 ...... $166 ......11.6 513 ...... $177 ........9.6 213 ...... $243 ........8.6 107 ...... $183 ..... 14.3 53 ...... $205 ..... 10.0 16 ...... $204 ..... 12.7 296 ...... $183 ........9.7 116 ...... $208 ........7.3 150 ...... $160 ........8.1 152 ...... $216 ........9.3 72 ...... $187 ........9.6 141 ...... $171 ......11.5 36 ...... $186 ..... 16.7 167 ...... $216 ........9.2 14 ...... $179 ..... 13.1 156 ...... $136 ......11.9 91 ...... $224 ..... 10.6 36 ...... $193 ......11.5 131 ...... $188 ..... 10.3 199 ...... $208 ........6.0 1,390 ...... $194 ......11.1

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

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

404 ...... $225 ..... 12.5 72 ...... $224 ..... 12.0 80 ...... $205 ........9.9
290 ...... $248 ..... 14.0 234 ...... $185 ..... 10.6
81 ...... $236 ......11.3 61 ...... $190 ..... 12.6 93 ...... $214 ......11.1 300 ...... $207 ........8.6 30 ...... $185 ..... 10.7 212 ...... $170 ........6.9
3 ...... $175 ..... 12.2 36 ...... $210 ........6.0 67 ...... $169 ........9.0 819 ...... $187 ..... 12.9 302 ...... $233 ..... 14.2 19 ...... $186 ........9.8 170 ...... $194 ........9.4 21 ...... $187 ..... 13.0 643 ...... $202 ......11.0 289 ...... $209 ........9.4 120 ...... $157 ........9.5 163 ...... $166 ......11.6 65 ...... $198 ........9.7 17 ...... $167 ..... 10.9 38 ...... $190 ..... 12.2 76 ...... $187 ........8.3 55 ...... $167 ..... 10.0 50 ...... $130 ........8.8 190 ...... $168 ..... 10.8 171 ...... $177 ........9.4 118 ...... $196 ..... 10.7 20 ...... $226 ..... 10.3 102 ...... $176 ........9.1 475 ...... $207 ........9.3 53 ...... $182 ........9.6 44 ...... $188 ..... 12.8 78 ...... $192 ..... 13.1 206 ...... $193 ........9.8 278 ...... $205 ........7.6 421 ...... $225 ......11.5 132 ...... $183 ..... 12.2 54 ...... $169 ........9.5 101 ...... $178 ..... 12.1 114 ...... $203 ......11.9 33 ...... $165 ........9.7 22 ...... $172 ........9.2 85 ...... $208 ........8.7 512 ...... $215 ........5.8 24 ...... $168 ..... 10.8 134 ...... $157 ........9.3 65 ...... $189 ..... 10.6 89 ...... $170 ........9.4

Unemployment Insurance Statistics

Average duration of benefits

Weeks

Last 12 months

14.0

13.1

13.0 12.8 12.9

12.9 12.9 12.6

12.4

12.2 12.1 12.1 12.0 12.0

12.0

11.0

10.0

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

02

03

Initial claims

Thousand 100

2002-- 2003

90

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 up 12.5 percent over the year...

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 short-term layoffs during the year, primarily in textiles and apparel manufacturing and transportation equipment manufacturing. Initial claims for August totaled 43,264, a 31.4 percent decrease from July's figure of 63,023. Initial claims filings continue to be up over the year, as this month's figure rose 12.5 percent from last August.
During August, 80,986 beneficiaries drew $59,022,973 in benefit payments. The number of claimants declined by 19.3 percent over the month while climbing 8.1 percent when compared to August of last year. For the month, there were $10.8 million in benefit payments in services ($5.5 million in business services), $6.4 million in manufacturing ($1.5 million in textiles), $6 million in trade ($3.8 million in

retail trade) and $3.2 million in construction ($2.2 million in special trade construction).
First payments were down 42.8 percent over the month, falling from 28,632 last month to August's total of 16,378. First payments also fell over the year, down 3.6 percent from August's 2002 figure of 16,981. Benefit exhaustions declined 26.7 percent from July to August, down from 11,735 to 8,603. Over the year, benefit exhaustions were up 4.3 percent. There were 8,417 claims filed for extended benefits in August.
The number of weeks jobless workers drew unemployment insurance benefits held at 12.0 weeks during August. The average duration has steadily declined since November of last year, when the duration stood at 13.1 weeks. The duration was down 6.3 percent from last August's duration of 12.8 weeks.

Statistical Trends

August 2003

August 2002

Net Change

Percent Change

Initial Claims ............................................................ 43,264 ............................... 38,459 ................................... 4,805 .............................. 12.5%

Continued Weeks Claimed .................................... 284,432 ............................. 279,809 ................................... 4,623 ................................ 1.7%

Beneficiaries .......................................................... 80,986 ............................... 74,910 ................................... 6,076 ................................ 8.1%

Benefits Paid ................................................. $59,022,973 ...................... $56,296,675 .......................... $2,726,298 ................................ 4.8%

Weeks Paid .......................................................... 248,935 ............................. 242,008 ................................... 6,927 ................................ 2.9%

First Payments ....................................................... 16,378 ............................... 16,981 ..................................... -603 ...............................-3.6%

Final Payments ......................................................... 8,603 ................................. 8,246 ...................................... 357 ................................ 4.3%

Average Weekly Benefit ...................................... $237.10 ............................. $232.62 ................................... $4.48 ................................ 1.9%

Average Duration (weeks) ........................................ 12.0 ................................... 12.8 ...................................... -0.8 ...............................-6.3%

Trust Fund Balance..................................... $877,065,651 ..................$1,420,898,611 ..................... -$543,832,960 .............................-38.3%

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The Georgia Workforce Conference will be held on November 13-14, 2003 at the Macon Centreplex Coliseum and Convention Centre, a spacious facility with ample free parking. This year's conference will focus on using Georgia Department of Labor services and other state and local resources as a catalyst to help Georgia create new jobs and protect existing ones. Attendees will discuss innovative ways to bolster Georgia's economy by expanding existing businesses and enhancing
the education and skills of Georgia's workforce.
Visit our conference web site at
www.dol.state.ga.us
For additional information, call Faye Duzan at (404) 232-3875, Ext. 21271 or email gwcinfo@dol.state.ga.us
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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.

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

The WI&A Customer Satisfaction Team: Committed To Total Customer Satisfaction Through Outstanding Customer Service

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



Upcoming Events
Press Release Dates
September
Unemployment Insurance Claims .................. Oct. 9
Georgia Unemployment Rate/ Non-farmEmployment .......... Oct. 16
Civilian Labor Force/Area Unemployment Rates .......... Oct. 23
October
Unemployment Insurance Claims ................ Nov. 13
Georgia Unemployment Rate/ Non-farmEmployment .......... Nov. 20
Civilian Labor Force/Area Unemployment Rates .......... Nov. 27

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