August 2004 Data Highlights Payrolls take a refreshing increase... Page 2 Total nonfarm jobs in Georgia rise in August. Unemployment rate declines for second straight month ............Page 8 While Athens had the lowest metro area jobless rate, Albany and Augusta were tied this month in the highest rate category. New Developments.................. Page 14 Initial claims fall by over 5,000 in August...... ..................... Page 17 Initial claims filings are also down by 20.5 percent over the year. WI&A Customer Satisfaction Team .................. Page 19 Volume XXX, 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 After a decline in total nonfarm jobs last month, August payrolls in Georgia show a refreshing increase of 30,500 jobs. Over half of the new jobs created were in sectors comprising, or related to, education. As summer winds down and schools open for the new year, the largest employment gain was in Government; more specifically, Local Government Education. Major gains were also experienced in Professional & Business Services and Educational & Health Services. Construction employment was up slightly across the state in August. After losing 1,100 jobs last month, this month the sector added 400 workers. With employment in Heavy and Civil Engineering and Construction of Buildings remaining constant from last month, job growth in the sector was concentrated in the Specialty Trade Contractor industry. As many manufacturers began to bring back those employees they laid off because of annual retooling, conversion, or repair, the Manufacturing sector gained 1,000 jobs in August. Durable Goods manufacturers added 700 workers over the month while Non-Durable Good manufacturers picked up 300. The Trade, Transportation and Utilities sector gained 1,200 jobs in August. The increase in jobs is due in large part to the employment gain in Retail Trade (+1,400 jobs). Wholesale Trade experienced a much more moderate increase of 200 jobs for the month and the Transportation, Warehousing, & Utilities industry dropped 400 jobs in August. The Information sector experienced moderate job growth in August. With a gain of 100 workers, employment in the sector remains relatively stagnant. Employment in the Telecommunications industry was down 200 jobs for the month. In August, the Financial Activities sector added 700 workers. This rise in employment is realized as both of the industry subsectors show job growth. The Financial and Insurance industry gained 500 workers in August and the Real Estate, Rental & Leasing Activities industry displayed a gain of 200 jobs. With an added 3,800 jobs in August, the Professional and Business Services sector displayed one of its most impressive single month gains in employment this year. Accounting for a small portion of the overall job growth in the sector, the Professional, Scientific & Technical Services industry gained 200 jobs and Management of Companies added 400. With an additional 3,200 workers, most of the jobs in the sector were in Administrative & Support, Waste Management & Remediation Services. Employment in the Education and Health Services sector was up 3,300 in August. Though the gain of jobs for the month was substantial, it is the lowest August gain in the sector in 4 years. As private educational institutions start to rehire for the upcoming school term, Educational Services gained 700 workers. With 2,600 jobs created in August, the Health Care and Social Assistance industry experienced its most robust monthly increase in jobs this year. After losing jobs last month, the Leisure and Hospitality sector added 900 workers in August. The Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation industry lost 1,300 jobs over the month. This marks the second consecutive month of employment losses in the industry after five months of job gains. The Accommodation and Food Services industry picked up 2,200 workers in August and has added jobs in six of the eight months this year. Other Services gained 200 jobs in August. With Local Government Education leading the way (+17,300 jobs), Government picked up a total 18,900 workers in August. The month's gain of employment follows a usual seasonal trend as public schools begin to reopen. State Government added 1,400 jobs and Federal Government employment was nearly unchanged with the addition of 100 workers during the month. Metro Area Employment The Albany Metro Area gained 400 workers in August. Government added 200 jobs and Professional & Business Services and Trade, Transportation & Utilities both added 100 workers. In August, the Athens Metro Area picked up 500 jobs. Gaining the most jobs was the Leisure and Hospitality industry, which added 200 workers. The only industry to lose workers was Other Services, which lost 100 jobs. The Atlanta Metro Area added 16,100 workers to its payrolls in August. The most job gains were in Government, which picked up 9,700 workers. Other industries with large gains include Professional & Business Services, which added 2,200 jobs and Educational & Health Services, which added 1,700 jobs. In the Augusta-Aiken Metro Area there were 1,400 jobs created in August with Government (+500 jobs) showing the most gains. Dropping 100 jobs each were Natural Resources, Mining & Construction and Information. August employment in the Columbus Metro Area was up 1,000 jobs. Government added 500 jobs and Professional & Business Services gained 200. The Macon Metro Area picked up 1,000 workers in August. With 400 added jobs, the largest gain was in Government. Educational & Health Care Services added 200 workers. August brought the creation of 1,100 jobs to the Savannah Metro Area. Like the overall state and other metropolitan areas, Government added the most jobs (+400 workers). Leisure and Hospitality lost 100 jobs for the month. For more information, please contact Corey L. 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 2004 Revised JUL 2004 Revised AUG 2003 Change in Jobs from JUL 2004 Net % Change in Jobs from AUG 2003 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 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 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 government education Local government Local government education 3,904.0 3,272.6 663.3 3,240.7 12.4 202.6 46.2 35.0 121.4 448.3 198.9 23.7 43.0 249.4 66.8 820.6 206.2 436.3 77.8 89.3 178.1 20.7 157.4 38.4 46.4 19.2 24.5 127.2 55.8 30.1 15.4 19.5 220.7 159.2 64.4 61.5 506.3 196.5 27.4 32.0 44.0 25.5 52.9 256.9 121.7 394.3 60.1 35.4 334.2 113.6 46.2 46.4 362.7 38.2 324.5 281.3 177.5 631.4 93.0 33.3 150.9 64.7 387.5 236.4 3,873.5 3,261.0 661.9 3,211.6 12.4 202.2 46.2 35.0 121.0 447.3 198.2 23.6 42.4 249.1 66.5 819.4 206.0 434.9 77.7 88.8 178.5 21.2 157.3 38.8 46.1 19.4 24.3 127.1 55.9 30.4 15.3 19.5 220.0 158.7 64.1 61.3 502.5 196.3 27.2 31.8 43.7 25.6 52.5 253.7 118.7 391.0 59.4 34.9 331.6 113.4 45.8 44.6 361.8 39.5 322.3 279.5 177.3 612.5 92.9 33.3 149.5 63.4 370.1 219.1 3,873.3 3,250.3 657.5 3,215.8 12.4 197.9 43.7 31.9 122.3 447.2 199.4 23.3 43.5 247.8 65.4 823.1 205.4 443.7 79.4 86.7 174.0 20.4 153.6 38.6 46.5 18.3 22.5 126.4 54.6 30.2 13.7 20.0 219.6 160.1 65.1 59.5 500.0 192.6 26.0 34.1 44.4 24.1 51.7 255.7 122.5 388.2 59.1 34.5 329.1 110.2 49.6 46.7 359.3 39.6 319.7 278.5 176.2 623.0 93.6 32.8 151.0 63.9 378.4 229.3 +30.5 +11.6 +1.4 +29.1 +.0 +.4 +.0 +.0 +.4 +1.0 +.7 +.1 +.6 +.3 +.3 +1.2 +.2 +1.4 +.1 +.5 -.4 -.5 +.1 -.4 +.3 -.2 +.2 +.1 -.1 -.3 +.1 +.0 +.7 +.5 +.3 +.2 +3.8 +.2 +.2 +.2 +.3 -.1 +.4 +3.2 +3.0 +3.3 +.7 +.5 +2.6 +.2 +.4 +1.8 +.9 -1.3 +2.2 +1.8 +.2 +18.9 +.1 +.0 +1.4 +1.3 +17.4 +17.3 +0.8 +0.4 +0.2 +0.9 +0.0 +0.2 +0.0 +0.0 +0.3 +0.2 +0.4 +0.4 +1.4 +0.1 +0.5 +0.1 +0.1 +0.3 +0.1 +0.6 -0.2 -2.4 +0.1 -1.0 +0.7 -1.0 +0.8 +0.1 -0.2 -1.0 +0.7 +0.0 +0.3 +0.3 +0.5 +0.3 +0.8 +0.1 +0.7 +0.6 +0.7 -0.4 +0.8 +1.3 +2.5 +0.8 +1.2 +1.4 +0.8 +0.2 +0.9 +4.0 +0.2 -3.3 +0.7 +0.6 +0.1 +3.1 +0.1 +0.0 +0.9 +2.1 +4.7 +7.9 +30.7 +22.3 +5.8 +24.9 +.0 +4.7 +2.5 +3.1 -.9 +1.1 -.5 +.4 -.5 +1.6 +1.4 -2.5 +.8 -7.4 -1.6 +2.6 +4.1 +.3 +3.8 -.2 -.1 +.9 +2.0 +.8 +1.2 -.1 +1.7 -.5 +1.1 -.9 -.7 +2.0 +6.3 +3.9 +1.4 -2.1 -.4 +1.4 +1.2 +1.2 -.8 +6.1 +1.0 +.9 +5.1 +3.4 -3.4 -.3 +3.4 -1.4 +4.8 +2.8 +1.3 +8.4 -.6 +.5 -.1 +.8 +9.1 +7.1 +0.8 +0.7 +0.9 +0.8 +0.0 +2.4 +5.7 +9.7 -0.7 +0.2 -0.3 +1.7 -1.1 +0.6 +2.1 -0.3 +0.4 -1.7 -2.0 +3.0 +2.4 +1.5 +2.5 -0.5 -0.2 +4.9 +8.9 +0.6 +2.2 -0.3 +12.4 -2.5 +0.5 -0.6 -1.1 +3.4 +1.3 +2.0 +5.4 -6.2 -0.9 +5.8 +2.3 +0.5 -0.7 +1.6 +1.7 +2.6 +1.5 +3.1 -6.9 -0.6 +0.9 -3.5 +1.5 +1.0 +0.7 +1.3 -0.6 +1.5 -0.1 +1.3 +2.4 +3.1 Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers 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 2003 benchmark. Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis 3 Atlanta Nonagricultural Employment (000s) Preliminary AUG 2004 Revised JUL 2004 Revised AUG 2003 Change in Jobs from JUL 2004 Net % Change in Jobs from AUG 2003 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 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 2,182.0 1,894.1 290.3 1,891.7 1.9 120.1 25.9 74.8 168.3 88.6 12.2 20.7 79.7 23.0 490.8 135.5 239.4 42.3 44.6 115.9 10.2 105.7 37.7 24.6 15.4 12.5 97.7 44.3 24.7 12.7 148.3 105.8 45.3 42.5 344.7 144.7 19.9 26.1 33.2 19.8 37.1 162.9 71.8 217.1 173.4 59.2 26.5 211.0 22.8 188.2 166.4 94.2 287.9 45.1 55.9 186.9 2,165.9 1,887.7 289.2 1,876.7 1.9 119.6 25.8 74.6 167.7 88.3 12.3 19.9 79.4 22.8 490.1 135.4 238.5 42.0 44.2 116.2 10.4 105.8 38.1 24.4 15.8 12.5 97.6 44.2 24.8 12.7 148.0 105.6 45.2 42.4 342.5 144.6 20.0 26.0 33.1 19.7 36.9 161.0 70.1 215.4 171.5 59.0 25.4 210.5 23.6 186.9 165.3 94.4 278.2 45.2 55.2 177.8 2,170.8 1,888.1 289.3 1,881.5 1.8 117.3 25.3 75.1 170.2 88.2 12.1 20.3 82.0 22.8 492.1 136.5 241.0 43.3 43.1 114.6 10.5 104.1 37.6 24.6 14.6 11.5 97.5 43.8 25.5 11.7 150.0 108.9 44.9 41.1 342.2 142.3 17.0 25.8 33.3 19.7 36.4 163.5 73.4 214.1 169.3 57.3 25.9 207.1 26.1 181.0 159.3 95.8 282.7 46.0 55.5 181.2 +16.1 +6.4 +1.1 +15.0 +.0 +.5 +.1 +.2 +.6 +.3 -.1 +.8 +.3 +.2 +.7 +.1 +.9 +.3 +.4 -.3 -.2 -.1 -.4 +.2 -.4 +.0 +.1 +.1 -.1 +.0 +.3 +.2 +.1 +.1 +2.2 +.1 -.1 +.1 +.1 +.1 +.2 +1.9 +1.7 +1.7 +1.9 +.2 +1.1 +.5 -.8 +1.3 +1.1 -.2 +9.7 -.1 +.7 +9.1 +0.7 +0.3 +0.4 +0.8 +0.0 +0.4 +0.4 +0.3 +0.4 +0.3 -0.8 +4.0 +0.4 +0.9 +0.1 +0.1 +0.4 +0.7 +0.9 -0.3 -1.9 -0.1 -1.0 +0.8 -2.5 +0.0 +0.1 +0.2 -0.4 +0.0 +0.2 +0.2 +0.2 +0.2 +0.6 +0.1 -0.5 +0.4 +0.3 +0.5 +0.5 +1.2 +2.4 +0.8 +1.1 +0.3 +4.3 +0.2 -3.4 +0.7 +0.7 -0.2 +3.5 -0.2 +1.3 +5.1 +11.2 +6.0 +1.0 +10.2 +.1 +2.8 +.6 -.3 -1.9 +.4 +.1 +.4 -2.3 +.2 -1.3 -1.0 -1.6 -1.0 +1.5 +1.3 -.3 +1.6 +.1 +.0 +.8 +1.0 +.2 +.5 -.8 +1.0 -1.7 -3.1 +.4 +1.4 +2.5 +2.4 +2.9 +.3 -.1 +.1 +.7 -.6 -1.6 +3.0 +4.1 +1.9 +.6 +3.9 -3.3 +7.2 +7.1 -1.6 +5.2 -.9 +.4 +5.7 +0.5 +0.3 +0.3 +0.5 +5.6 +2.4 +2.4 -0.4 -1.1 +0.5 +0.8 +2.0 -2.8 +0.9 -0.3 -0.7 -0.7 -2.3 +3.5 +1.1 -2.9 +1.5 +0.3 +0.0 +5.5 +8.7 +0.2 +1.1 -3.1 +8.5 -1.1 -2.8 +0.9 +3.4 +0.7 +1.7 +17.1 +1.2 -0.3 +0.5 +1.9 -0.4 -2.2 +1.4 +2.4 +3.3 +2.3 +1.9 -12.6 +4.0 +4.5 -1.7 +1.8 -2.0 +0.7 +3.1 Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers in the 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 2003 benchmark. Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis 4 Albany Nonagricultural Employment (000s) Preliminary AUG 2004 Revised JUL 2004 Revised AUG 2003 Change in Jobs from JUL 2004 Net % Change in Jobs from AUG 2003 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 57.3 56.9 45.8 45.6 10.2 10.2 47.1 46.7 3.1 3.1 7.1 7.1 11.9 11.8 2.0 2.0 7.2 7.1 2.7 2.7 1.0 1.0 2.1 2.1 5.3 5.2 8.3 8.3 4.4 4.4 2.6 2.6 11.5 11.3 2.3 2.3 9.2 9.0 57.0 +.4 +0.7 +.3 +0.5 45.6 +.2 +0.4 +.2 +0.4 10.3 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -1.0 46.7 +.4 +0.9 +.4 +0.9 3.2 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -3.1 7.1 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 11.7 +.1 +0.8 +.2 +1.7 2.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 7.0 +.1 +1.4 +.2 +2.9 2.7 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 1.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 2.1 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 5.5 +.1 +1.9 -.2 -3.6 8.0 +.0 +0.0 +.3 +3.8 4.3 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +2.3 2.7 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -3.7 11.4 +.2 +1.8 +.1 +0.9 2.4 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -4.2 9.0 +.2 +2.2 +.2 +2.2 Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers in the 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 2003 benchmark. Athens Nonagricultural Employment (000s) Preliminary AUG 2004 Revised JUL 2004 Revised AUG 2003 Change in Jobs from JUL 2004 Net % Change in Jobs from AUG 2003 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 74.2 73.7 53.4 53.0 11.9 11.8 62.3 61.9 3.0 2.9 8.9 8.9 11.7 11.6 1.9 1.9 8.4 8.3 1.4 1.4 .9 .9 2.6 2.6 6.1 6.1 9.3 9.2 7.0 6.8 3.9 4.0 20.8 20.7 1.6 1.7 19.2 19.0 74.4 +.5 +0.7 -.2 -0.3 53.4 +.4 +0.8 +.0 +0.0 11.8 +.1 +0.8 +.1 +0.8 62.6 +.4 +0.6 -.3 -0.5 3.0 +.1 +3.4 +.0 +0.0 8.8 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +1.1 12.2 +.1 +0.9 -.5 -4.1 1.9 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 8.9 +.1 +1.2 -.5 -5.6 1.4 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 .9 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 2.6 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 6.1 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 9.0 +.1 +1.1 +.3 +3.3 7.1 +.2 +2.9 -.1 -1.4 3.7 -.1 -2.5 +.2 +5.4 21.0 +.1 +0.5 -.2 -1.0 1.7 -.1 -5.9 -.1 -5.9 19.3 +.2 +1.1 -.1 -0.5 Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers in the Athens Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Clarke, Madison and Oconee counties. The estimates include all full- and part-time wage and salary workers who were employed during or received pay for any part of the pay period that includes the twelfth of the month. Proprietors, domestic workers, self-employed persons, unpaid family workers and personnel of the armed forces are excluded. Estimates based on 2003 benchmark. Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis 5 Augusta-Aiken Nonagricultural Employment (000s) Preliminary AUG 2004 Revised JUL 2004 Revised AUG 2003 Change in Jobs from JUL 2004 Net % Change in Jobs from AUG 2003 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 203.7 164.6 37.4 166.3 12.8 24.6 32.8 4.0 24.0 4.8 3.2 7.7 30.0 25.8 5.2 20.6 6.6 19.5 8.2 39.1 7.3 31.8 202.3 163.7 37.3 165.0 12.9 24.4 32.7 4.0 23.8 4.9 3.3 7.7 29.9 25.4 5.1 20.3 6.5 19.3 8.1 38.6 7.3 31.3 202.6 163.4 38.5 164.1 13.3 25.2 33.4 4.1 24.4 4.9 3.3 7.3 29.5 24.7 4.6 20.1 6.3 18.8 7.9 39.2 7.2 32.0 +1.4 +0.7 +.9 +0.5 +.1 +0.3 +1.3 +0.8 -.1 -0.8 +.2 +0.8 +.1 +0.3 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +0.8 -.1 -2.0 -.1 -3.0 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.3 +.4 +1.6 +.1 +2.0 +.3 +1.5 +.1 +1.5 +.2 +1.0 +.1 +1.2 +.5 +1.3 +.0 +0.0 +.5 +1.6 +1.1 +1.2 -1.1 +2.2 -.5 -.6 -.6 -.1 -.4 -.1 -.1 +.4 +.5 +1.1 +.6 +.5 +.3 +.7 +.3 -.1 +.1 -.2 +0.5 +0.7 -2.9 +1.3 -3.8 -2.4 -1.8 -2.4 -1.6 -2.0 -3.0 +5.5 +1.7 +4.5 +13.0 +2.5 +4.8 +3.7 +3.8 -0.3 +1.4 -0.6 Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers in the 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 2003 benchmark. Columbus Nonagricultural Employment (000s) Preliminary AUG 2004 Revised JUL 2004 Revised AUG 2003 Change in Jobs from JUL 2004 Net % Change in Jobs from AUG 2003 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 117.5 96.6 19.6 97.9 5.6 14.0 17.1 2.4 13.3 1.4 6.1 8.9 7.1 4.8 12.6 12.9 13.5 12.2 5.9 20.9 5.0 15.9 116.5 96.1 19.4 97.1 5.5 13.9 17.1 2.4 13.3 1.4 6.1 9.0 7.1 4.8 12.4 12.8 13.4 12.2 5.9 20.4 4.9 15.5 118.5 97.6 19.6 98.9 5.4 14.2 17.9 2.5 13.7 1.7 6.5 8.8 6.9 4.7 12.0 13.4 13.5 12.4 5.9 20.9 4.9 16.0 +1.0 +0.9 +.5 +0.5 +.2 +1.0 +.8 +0.8 +.1 +1.8 +.1 +0.7 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -1.1 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +1.6 +.1 +0.8 +.1 +0.7 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.5 +2.5 +.1 +2.0 +.4 +2.6 -1.0 -0.8 -1.0 -1.0 +.0 +0.0 -1.0 -1.0 +.2 +3.7 -.2 -1.4 -.8 -4.5 -.1 -4.0 -.4 -2.9 -.3 -17.6 -.4 -6.2 +.1 +1.1 +.2 +2.9 +.1 +2.1 +.6 +5.0 -.5 -3.7 +.0 +0.0 -.2 -1.6 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +2.0 -.1 -0.6 Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers in the Columbus Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Chattahoochee, Harris and Muscogee counties in Georgia and Russell County in Alabama. The estimates include all full- and part-time wage and salary workers who were employed during or received pay for any part of the pay period that includes the twelfth of the month. Proprietors, domestic workers, self-employed persons, unpaid family workers and personnel of the armed forces are excluded. Estimates based on 2003 benchmark. Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis 6 Macon Nonagricultural Employment (000s) Preliminary AUG 2004 Revised JUL 2004 Revised AUG 2003 Change in Jobs from JUL 2004 Net % Change in Jobs from AUG 2003 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 150.9 115.8 19.4 131.5 6.2 13.2 26.2 3.5 18.5 4.2 2.7 10.6 16.7 20.8 13.7 5.7 35.1 14.3 20.8 149.9 115.2 19.3 130.6 6.1 13.2 26.0 3.5 18.3 4.2 2.7 10.6 16.7 20.6 13.6 5.7 34.7 14.4 20.3 150.0 115.6 20.7 129.3 6.4 14.3 25.7 3.5 18.2 4.0 2.8 10.4 16.1 20.6 13.7 5.6 34.4 14.2 20.2 +1.0 +0.7 +.6 +0.5 +.1 +0.5 +.9 +0.7 +.1 +1.6 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +0.8 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +1.1 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +1.0 +.1 +0.7 +.0 +0.0 +.4 +1.2 -.1 -0.7 +.5 +2.5 +.9 +0.6 +.2 +0.2 -1.3 -6.3 +2.2 +1.7 -.2 -3.1 -1.1 -7.7 +.5 +1.9 +.0 +0.0 +.3 +1.6 +.2 +5.0 -.1 -3.6 +.2 +1.9 +.6 +3.7 +.2 +1.0 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +1.8 +.7 +2.0 +.1 +0.7 +.6 +3.0 Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers in the 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 2003 benchmark. Savannah Nonagricultural Employment (000s) Preliminary AUG 2004 Revised JUL 2004 Revised AUG 2003 Change in Jobs from JUL 2004 Net % Change in Jobs from AUG 2003 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 142.1 120.8 21.7 120.4 8.6 13.1 30.5 5.0 17.4 8.1 1.9 6.5 15.8 18.9 18.2 7.3 21.3 2.7 18.6 141.0 120.1 21.6 119.4 8.6 13.0 30.3 5.0 17.3 8.0 1.9 6.5 15.6 18.7 18.3 7.2 20.9 2.7 18.2 140.7 119.6 21.8 118.9 8.4 13.4 30.2 5.0 17.5 7.7 1.9 6.4 14.8 19.2 18.1 7.2 21.1 2.7 18.4 +1.1 +0.8 +.7 +0.6 +.1 +0.5 +1.0 +0.8 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.8 +.2 +0.7 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +0.6 +.1 +1.3 +.0 +0.0 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +1.3 +.2 +1.1 -.1 -0.5 +.1 +1.4 +.4 +1.9 +.0 +0.0 +.4 +2.2 +1.4 +1.0 +1.2 +1.0 -.1 -0.5 +1.5 +1.3 +.2 +2.4 -.3 -2.2 +.3 +1.0 +.0 +0.0 -.1 -0.6 +.4 +5.2 +.0 +0.0 +.1 +1.6 +1.0 +6.8 -.3 -1.6 +.1 +0.6 +.1 +1.4 +.2 +0.9 +.0 +0.0 +.2 +1.1 Note: These preliminary estimates were prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, based upon monthly reports submitted by selected employers in the 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 2003 benchmark. Source: Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis 7 Dimensions - Measuring Georgia's Labor Force Unemployment declines for second straight month For the second straight month, Georgia's unemployment rate declined. The state's rate dropped from July's revised level of 4.4 percent to 4.3 percent in August. The decline was expected, as seasonal factors weighed in, preserving a 26-year downward trend. Last year in August, Georgia's rate was 4.7 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, also declined in August for the second consecutive month. That rate dropped from 5.7 percent in July to 5.4 percent in August. Although the national rate had a larger over-the-month drop than the state, Georgia's rate continued to compare favorably with the U.S. as a whole. In fact, the state's rate has been at or below the nation's average for more than four years now. A year ago, the U.S. rate was 6.3 percent. An over-the-month decline, in the number of persons receiving unemployment insurance (UI) benefits during August, was partly responsible for the current month decline in the total number of unemployed Georgians. 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 in August. At slightly less than 190,000, Georgia's total count of unemployed dropped by more than 7,000 or 3.6 percent over the month. Unemployment rates -- Georgia and U.S. 7.5% Ge orgi a U.S . 6.5% 5.5% 4.5% 3.5% Aug Sep O ct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug 2003 2004 Area data Of Georgia's seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), Albany was the only one to not track the states downward trend in August. In fact, Albany's rate was essentially unchanged over the month at 5.2 percent, the highest metro area rate in the state. Augusta, despite an over-themonth drop of five-tenths of a percentage point, was also at 5.2 percent in August. Athens, at 2.9 percent, ranked lowest in the state of all the MSAs. Of Georgia's 159 counties, the majority had declining unemployment rates. The final tally 118 counties decreased in August, 20 counties increased over the month and the remaining 21 counties were essentially unchanged. Despite a significant over-themonth drop of nearly one percentage point, Burke County, at 9.4 percent was the highest rate. Once again, Echols County, at 1.5 percent, had the lowest county rate. Mass Layoff Statistics In August, Georgia employers initiated 21 mass layoff events, as measured by new filings for unemployment benefits during the month. Each action consisted of at least 50 separated workers from a single establishment. The number of laid off employees involved in the events totaled 1,827, which was down 21.9 percent over the month. In July, there were 27 layoffs affecting 2,338 workers. This month's figure for separated workers represents a decline of 12.0 percent when compared to August 2003, when 20 events affected 2,077 workers. Percent Southeastern states and U.S. unemployment rates 9 8 August 2004 July 2004 7 6.2 6 5.8 5.8 6.0 5.4 6.5 6.6 5.4 5.7 5.4 5 4.8 4.7 4.3 4.4 4.7 4.9 4.9 4.7 4 3 2 1 0 AL FL GA KY MS NC SC TN US In August, five states in the Southeast recorded over-the-month declines in their unemployment rates. However, the state that stands out most is Kentucky. At 4.7 percent in August, Kentucky recorded the largest over-the-month decline of seventenths of a percentage point and was down by nearly one and one-half percentage points from the beginning of the year. South Carolina, showing no signs of reversal, posted the highest regional rate (6.5%). South Carolina was one of only three states to post a rate above the nation's average of 5.4 percent. Georgia's rate, at 4.3 percent in August, continued to rank the lowest in the region. 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 AUG 2004 Revised JUL 2004 Revised AUG 2003 Change From Revised Revised JUL 2004 AUG 2003 Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate 4,422,957 4,234,612 188,345 4.3 4,430,472 4,234,999 195,473 4.4 4,415,469 4,209,982 205,487 4.7 -7,515 -387 -7,128 7,488 24,630 -17,142 Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate 57,707 57,851 57,397 -144 310 54,730 54,815 54,668 -85 62 2,977 3,036 2,729 -59 248 5.2 5.2 4.8 Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate 79,493 77,156 2,337 2.9 79,794 77,363 2,431 3.0 79,946 77,515 2,431 3.0 -301 -207 -94 -453 -359 -94 Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate 2,435,048 2,327,454 107,594 4.4 2,437,733 2,328,904 108,829 4.5 2,437,267 2,319,597 117,670 4.8 -2,685 -1,450 -1,235 -2,219 7,857 -10,076 Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate 223,407 211,705 11,702 5.2 225,337 212,514 12,823 5.7 219,317 208,458 10,859 5.0 -1,930 -809 -1,121 4,090 3,247 843 Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate 129,795 123,312 6,483 5.0 129,989 123,388 6,601 5.1 132,667 124,935 7,732 5.8 -194 -76 -118 -2,872 -1,623 -1,249 Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate 161,613 162,374 161,614 -761 -1 155,290 155,623 155,246 -333 44 6,323 6,751 6,368 -428 -45 3.9 4.2 3.9 Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate 149,575 144,211 5,364 3.6 150,584 144,530 6,054 4.0 149,438 143,492 5,946 4.0 -1,009 -319 -690 137 719 -582 United States Labor Force Estimates Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older Area Employment Status AUG 2004 JUL 2004 AUG 2003 Change From JUL 2004 AUG 2003 United States (Seasonally adjusted) Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate 147,704,000 139,681,000 8,022,000 5.4 147,856,000 139,660,000 8,196,000 5.5 146,622,000 137,693,000 8,929,000 6.1 -152,000 21,000 -174,000 1,082,000 1,988,000 -907,000 United States (Not Seasonally adjusted) Civilian labor force Employed Unemployed Rate 148,166,000 140,226,000 7,940,000 5.4 149,217,000 140,700,000 8,518,000 5.7 146,967,000 138,137,000 8,830,000 6.0 -1,051,000 -474,000 -578,000 1,199,000 2,089,000 -890,000 Note: Employment includes nonagricultural wage and salary employment, self-employment, unpaid family and private household workers and agricultural workers. Persons in labor disputes are counted as employed. The use of unrounded data does not imply that the numbers are exact. Georgia and Metropolitan Statistical Area data have not been seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data for Georgia available upon request. Albany MSA: Includes Dougherty and Lee counties Athens MSA: Includes Clarke, Madison, and Oconee counties Atlanta MSA: Includes Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton counties Augusta-Aiken MSA: Includes Columbia, McDuffie and Richmond counties in Georgia and Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina Columbus MSA: Includes Chattahoochee, Harris and Muscogee counties in Georgia and Russell County in Alabama Macon MSA: Includes Bibb, Houston, Jones, Peach, and Twiggs counties Savannah MSA: Includes Bryan, 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 2004 Revised July 2004 Labor Force Employment Unemployment Number Rate Labor Force Employment Unemployment Number Rate 4,422,957 4,234,612 188,345 4.3 7,649 3,323 3,990 1,795 18,575 7,158 3,111 3,814 1,740 17,943 491 6.4 212 6.4 176 4.4 55 3.1 632 3.4 4,430,472 4,234,999 195,473 4.4 7,708 3,358 4,008 1,787 18,560 7,147 3,100 3,807 1,724 17,937 561 7.3 258 7.7 201 5.0 63 3.5 623 3.4 Banks Barrow Bartow Ben Hill Berrien 7,035 6,828 207 2.9 25,079 23,867 1,212 4.8 42,504 40,532 1,972 4.6 8,130 7,827 303 3.7 7,034 6,807 227 3.2 7,046 6,817 229 3.3 24,991 23,881 1,110 4.4 42,814 40,557 2,257 5.3 8,113 7,812 301 3.7 7,023 6,785 238 3.4 Bibb Bleckley Brantley Brooks Bryan 74,704 71,456 3,248 4.3 6,131 5,926 205 3.3 7,159 6,789 370 5.2 7,845 7,674 171 2.2 12,238 11,913 325 2.7 75,107 71,609 3,498 4.7 6,125 5,917 208 3.4 7,185 6,785 400 5.6 7,865 7,667 198 2.5 12,345 11,940 405 3.3 Bulloch Burke Butts Calhoun Camden 29,528 9,514 9,830 2,473 17,086 28,722 8,615 9,411 2,380 16,358 806 2.7 899 9.4 419 4.3 93 3.8 728 4.3 29,650 9,590 9,823 2,485 17,166 28,699 8,600 9,405 2,368 16,348 951 3.2 990 10.3 418 4.3 117 4.7 818 4.8 Candler Carroll Catoosa Charlton Chatham 4,133 3,959 174 4.2 47,611 45,527 2,084 4.4 30,063 29,360 703 2.3 4,494 4,301 193 4.3 116,451 112,082 4,369 3.8 4,120 3,945 175 4.2 47,728 45,556 2,172 4.6 30,167 29,376 791 2.6 4,523 4,299 224 5.0 117,200 112,330 4,870 4.2 Chattahoochee 2,297 2,115 182 7.9 Chattooga 11,211 10,808 403 3.6 Cherokee 88,202 85,365 2,837 3.2 Clarke 51,099 49,494 1,605 3.1 Clay 1,922 1,854 68 3.5 2,299 2,116 183 8.0 11,213 10,804 409 3.6 88,332 85,418 2,914 3.3 51,332 49,627 1,705 3.3 1,931 1,847 84 4.4 Clayton Clinch Cobb Coffee Colquitt 142,790 134,817 7,973 5.6 2,920 2,821 99 3.4 383,350 369,045 14,305 3.7 21,249 20,340 909 4.3 18,383 17,689 694 3.8 143,149 134,901 8,248 5.8 2,918 2,814 104 3.6 384,116 369,275 14,841 3.9 21,348 20,300 1,048 4.9 18,426 17,640 786 4.3 Columbia Cook Coweta Crawford Crisp 46,943 45,440 1,503 3.2 7,751 7,463 288 3.7 48,605 46,634 1,971 4.1 6,490 6,217 273 4.2 9,421 8,874 547 5.8 47,034 45,488 1,546 3.3 7,748 7,447 301 3.9 48,566 46,663 1,903 3.9 6,495 6,209 286 4.4 9,395 8,852 543 5.8 Revised August 2003 Labor Force Employment Unemployment Number Rate 4,415,469 4,209,982 205,487 4.7 7,624 3,270 3,967 1,746 18,317 7,045 3,044 3,752 1,678 17,752 579 7.6 226 6.9 215 5.4 68 3.9 565 3.1 6,978 25,032 42,492 8,165 6,912 6,726 23,786 40,395 7,697 6,663 252 3.6 1,246 5.0 2,097 4.9 468 5.7 249 3.6 74,598 6,011 7,122 7,780 12,215 71,436 5,841 6,707 7,575 11,854 3,162 4.2 170 2.8 415 5.8 205 2.6 361 3.0 29,170 9,675 9,777 2,452 17,032 28,368 8,479 9,304 2,317 16,172 802 2.7 1,196 12.4 473 4.8 135 5.5 860 5.0 4,011 47,607 29,841 4,507 116,436 3,876 45,374 29,129 4,252 111,523 135 3.4 2,233 4.7 712 2.4 255 5.7 4,913 4.2 2,327 11,100 88,509 51,408 1,875 2,145 10,689 85,077 49,724 1,814 182 7.8 411 3.7 3,432 3.9 1,684 3.3 61 3.3 143,006 134,362 8,644 6.0 2,915 2,768 147 5.0 383,332 367,799 15,533 4.1 21,517 20,005 1,512 7.0 18,238 17,349 889 4.9 46,639 7,778 48,608 6,372 9,215 45,385 7,333 46,476 6,127 8,712 1,254 2.7 445 5.7 2,132 4.4 245 3.8 503 5.5 10 Georgia Labor Force Estimates by County (not seasonally adjusted) Dade Dawson Decatur DeKalb Dodge Place of Residence - Persons 16 Years and Older Preliminary August 2004 Revised July 2004 Labor Force Employment Unemployment Number Rate Labor Force Employment Unemployment Number Rate 7,827 7,633 194 2.5 11,787 11,446 341 2.9 11,778 11,031 747 6.3 393,760 372,464 21,296 5.4 10,349 10,083 266 2.6 7,951 7,637 314 3.9 11,650 11,314 336 2.9 11,776 11,005 771 6.5 393,754 372,697 21,057 5.3 10,392 10,030 362 3.5 Dooly Dougherty Douglas Early Echols 4,465 4,314 151 3.4 43,950 41,334 2,616 6.0 54,441 52,030 2,411 4.4 5,246 4,993 253 4.8 1,910 1,882 28 1.5 4,499 4,303 196 4.4 44,001 41,398 2,603 5.9 54,497 52,063 2,434 4.5 5,232 4,974 258 4.9 1,913 1,880 33 1.7 Effingham Elbert Emanuel Evans Fannin 20,886 9,620 8,982 5,299 9,440 20,215 9,188 8,482 5,174 9,138 671 3.2 432 4.5 500 5.6 125 2.4 302 3.2 21,039 9,682 9,096 5,308 9,505 20,260 9,177 8,460 5,165 9,120 779 3.7 505 5.2 636 7.0 143 2.7 385 4.1 Fayette Floyd Forsyth Franklin Fulton 50,750 49,396 1,354 2.7 48,534 46,310 2,224 4.6 63,437 61,841 1,596 2.5 11,475 11,012 463 4.0 430,405 408,184 22,221 5.2 50,788 49,426 1,362 2.7 48,161 46,297 1,864 3.9 63,532 61,879 1,653 2.6 11,516 11,001 515 4.5 431,527 408,438 23,089 5.4 Gilmer Glascock Glynn Gordon Grady 9,705 9,357 348 3.6 1,053 1,007 46 4.4 36,718 35,547 1,171 3.2 22,563 21,610 953 4.2 9,636 9,257 379 3.9 9,723 9,353 370 3.8 1,046 1,007 39 3.7 36,788 35,550 1,238 3.4 22,606 21,591 1,015 4.5 9,646 9,209 437 4.5 Greene 5,831 5,474 357 6.1 Gwinnett 390,153 375,844 14,309 3.7 Habersham 17,123 16,682 441 2.6 Hall 81,182 78,616 2,566 3.2 Hancock 3,703 3,474 229 6.2 5,862 5,468 394 6.7 389,580 376,078 13,502 3.5 17,192 16,662 530 3.1 80,918 78,283 2,635 3.3 3,689 3,470 219 5.9 Haralson Harris Hart Heard Henry 10,827 10,329 498 4.6 13,635 13,193 442 3.2 9,587 9,129 458 4.8 5,244 4,989 255 4.9 74,898 71,910 2,988 4.0 10,847 10,312 535 4.9 13,662 13,205 457 3.3 9,665 9,117 548 5.7 5,200 4,968 232 4.5 75,043 71,955 3,088 4.1 Houston Irwin Jackson Jasper Jeff Davis 58,085 56,261 1,824 3.1 4,671 4,536 135 2.9 25,312 24,442 870 3.4 5,451 5,182 269 4.9 4,947 4,628 319 6.4 58,258 56,382 1,876 3.2 4,691 4,527 164 3.5 25,281 24,421 860 3.4 5,494 5,171 323 5.9 4,936 4,618 318 6.4 Revised August 2003 Labor Force Employment Unemployment Number Rate 7,845 7,573 272 3.5 11,553 11,224 329 2.8 11,536 10,836 700 6.1 393,355 371,207 22,148 5.6 10,254 9,900 354 3.5 4,572 43,618 54,407 5,224 1,898 4,235 41,287 51,854 4,881 1,857 337 7.4 2,331 5.3 2,553 4.7 343 6.6 41 2.2 20,787 9,625 8,891 5,254 9,506 20,115 9,063 8,322 5,096 8,991 672 3.2 562 5.8 569 6.4 158 3.0 515 5.4 50,876 49,229 1,647 3.2 47,898 45,820 2,078 4.3 63,677 61,632 2,045 3.2 11,342 10,864 478 4.2 432,154 406,806 25,348 5.9 9,634 1,037 36,499 22,412 9,386 9,249 993 35,212 21,341 9,010 385 4.0 44 4.2 1,287 3.5 1,071 4.8 376 4.0 5,767 5,399 368 6.4 390,164 374,575 15,589 4.0 17,036 16,450 586 3.4 80,133 77,411 2,722 3.4 3,661 3,425 236 6.4 10,713 13,862 9,454 5,165 74,805 10,169 13,380 9,002 4,911 71,667 544 5.1 482 3.5 452 4.8 254 4.9 3,138 4.2 58,030 4,725 25,053 5,380 5,016 56,245 4,460 24,127 5,093 4,550 1,785 3.1 265 5.6 926 3.7 287 5.3 466 9.3 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 2004 Revised July 2004 Labor Force 7,408 4,136 3,357 13,086 6,667 Employment Unemployment Number Rate 6,782 3,955 3,170 12,618 6,313 626 8.5 181 4.4 187 5.6 468 3.6 354 5.3 Labor Force 7,472 4,158 3,358 13,156 6,674 Employment Unemployment Number Rate 6,768 3,928 3,165 12,645 6,284 704 9.4 230 5.5 193 5.7 511 3.9 390 5.8 Lanier Laurens Lee Liberty Lincoln 3,725 3,634 91 2.4 23,173 22,111 1,062 4.6 13,757 13,396 361 2.6 19,710 18,581 1,129 5.7 2,518 2,364 154 6.1 3,732 3,631 101 2.7 23,345 22,093 1,252 5.4 13,850 13,417 433 3.1 19,809 18,573 1,236 6.2 2,526 2,361 165 6.5 Long Lowndes Lumpkin McDuffie McIntosh 5,035 4,896 139 2.8 47,668 46,446 1,222 2.6 12,425 12,022 403 3.2 9,759 9,151 608 6.2 5,113 4,913 200 3.9 5,072 4,894 178 3.5 47,649 46,403 1,246 2.6 12,333 11,954 379 3.1 9,776 9,161 615 6.3 5,130 4,909 221 4.3 Macon Madison Marion Meriwether Miller 5,492 13,918 2,906 9,446 3,468 5,082 13,464 2,728 8,841 3,340 410 7.5 454 3.3 178 6.1 605 6.4 128 3.7 5,542 13,959 2,926 9,456 3,462 5,063 13,500 2,723 8,804 3,328 479 8.6 459 3.3 203 6.9 652 6.9 134 3.9 Mitchell Monroe Montgomery Morgan Murray 12,400 8,084 3,785 8,256 18,946 11,849 7,677 3,591 7,945 18,343 551 4.4 407 5.0 194 5.1 311 3.8 603 3.2 12,354 8,046 3,780 8,232 18,941 11,815 7,646 3,586 7,931 18,274 539 4.4 400 5.0 194 5.1 301 3.7 667 3.5 Muscogee Newton Oconee Oglethorpe Paulding 88,722 84,535 4,187 4.7 34,783 32,891 1,892 5.4 14,476 14,199 277 1.9 6,936 6,707 229 3.3 48,928 47,026 1,902 3.9 89,001 84,609 4,392 4.9 34,793 32,911 1,882 5.4 14,504 14,237 267 1.8 6,928 6,698 230 3.3 49,120 47,055 2,065 4.2 Peach Pickens Pierce Pike Polk 11,272 12,798 8,662 8,246 19,821 10,686 12,457 8,389 7,938 18,936 586 5.2 341 2.7 273 3.2 308 3.7 885 4.5 11,371 10,709 662 5.8 12,836 12,465 371 2.9 8,641 8,372 269 3.1 8,251 7,902 349 4.2 19,859 18,859 1,000 5.0 Pulaski Putnam Quitman Rabun Randolph 4,385 10,114 1,508 7,654 3,145 4,264 9,832 1,471 7,524 2,971 121 2.8 282 2.8 37 2.5 130 1.7 174 5.5 4,358 10,081 1,512 7,675 3,194 4,235 9,789 1,467 7,526 2,965 123 2.8 292 2.9 45 3.0 149 1.9 229 7.2 Revised August 2003 Labor Force Employment Unemployment Number Rate 7,349 4,069 3,411 13,049 6,601 6,672 3,861 3,122 12,615 6,207 677 9.2 208 5.1 289 8.5 434 3.3 394 6.0 3,668 23,280 13,779 19,377 2,542 3,587 21,836 13,381 18,375 2,332 81 2.2 1,444 6.2 398 2.9 1,002 5.2 210 8.3 4,969 47,313 12,137 9,688 5,062 4,842 45,846 11,818 9,141 4,850 127 2.6 1,467 3.1 319 2.6 547 5.6 212 4.2 5,405 14,004 2,831 9,433 3,422 4,964 13,526 2,682 8,701 3,264 441 8.2 478 3.4 149 5.3 732 7.8 158 4.6 12,199 7,997 3,772 8,163 18,798 11,618 7,559 3,537 7,813 18,079 581 4.8 438 5.5 235 6.2 350 4.3 719 3.8 90,830 34,792 14,534 6,896 48,787 85,733 32,780 14,265 6,612 46,867 5,097 5.6 2,012 5.8 269 1.9 284 4.1 1,920 3.9 11,462 12,952 8,528 8,208 19,452 10,683 12,415 8,248 7,812 18,661 779 6.8 537 4.1 280 3.3 396 4.8 791 4.1 4,309 10,010 1,489 7,597 3,133 4,172 9,663 1,443 7,457 2,921 137 3.2 347 3.5 46 3.1 140 1.8 212 6.8 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 2004 Revised July 2004 Labor Force Employment Unemployment Number Rate Labor Force Employment Unemployment Number Rate 85,184 80,166 5,018 5.9 40,550 38,756 1,794 4.4 1,873 1,791 82 4.4 5,717 5,406 311 5.4 4,838 4,658 180 3.7 85,469 80,251 5,218 6.1 40,503 38,780 1,723 4.3 1,863 1,781 82 4.4 5,738 5,396 342 6.0 4,821 4,641 180 3.7 Spalding Stephens Stewart Sumter Talbot 28,918 27,348 1,570 5.4 12,027 11,272 755 6.3 2,559 2,345 214 8.4 14,698 13,938 760 5.2 2,952 2,776 176 6.0 29,157 27,365 1,792 6.1 12,140 11,267 873 7.2 2,551 2,341 210 8.2 14,702 13,920 782 5.3 2,928 2,761 167 5.7 Taliaferro Tattnall Taylor Telfair Terrell 833 7,216 3,723 4,104 4,204 778 6,916 3,542 3,894 3,929 55 6.6 300 4.2 181 4.9 210 5.1 275 6.5 830 7,212 3,734 4,137 4,183 776 6,883 3,533 3,884 3,919 54 6.5 329 4.6 201 5.4 253 6.1 264 6.3 Thomas Tift Toombs Towns Treutlen 23,140 21,416 11,900 5,053 3,023 22,259 20,683 11,204 4,960 2,855 881 3.8 733 3.4 696 5.8 93 1.8 168 5.6 23,087 21,363 11,994 5,071 3,027 22,234 20,644 11,186 4,960 2,851 853 3.7 719 3.4 808 6.7 111 2.2 176 5.8 Troup Turner Twiggs Union Upson 31,246 29,464 1,782 5.7 4,525 4,276 249 5.5 4,466 4,269 197 4.4 9,552 9,303 249 2.6 10,393 9,834 559 5.4 31,468 29,457 2,011 6.4 4,560 4,263 297 6.5 4,483 4,278 205 4.6 9,587 9,295 292 3.0 10,437 9,829 608 5.8 Walker Walton Ware Warren Washington 31,869 30,991 878 2.8 33,087 31,521 1,566 4.7 15,986 15,284 702 4.4 2,264 2,095 169 7.5 9,244 8,872 372 4.0 32,095 31,009 1,086 3.4 32,906 31,540 1,366 4.2 15,988 15,276 712 4.5 2,281 2,091 190 8.3 9,244 8,859 385 4.2 Wayne Webster Wheeler White Whitfield 11,697 11,160 537 4.6 1,237 1,167 70 5.7 2,138 2,002 136 6.4 10,122 9,847 275 2.7 51,081 49,649 1,432 2.8 11,750 11,155 595 5.1 1,237 1,163 74 6.0 2,154 1,998 156 7.2 10,150 9,843 307 3.0 51,235 49,633 1,602 3.1 Wilcox Wilkes Wilkinson Worth 3,453 5,004 4,345 9,960 3,319 4,702 4,140 9,511 134 3.9 302 6.0 205 4.7 449 4.5 3,471 5,013 4,344 9,965 3,311 4,673 4,136 9,480 160 4.6 340 6.8 208 4.8 485 4.9 Revised August 2003 Labor Force Employment Unemployment Number Rate 84,864 40,436 1,846 5,668 4,714 80,070 38,625 1,757 5,313 4,551 4,794 5.6 1,811 4.5 89 4.8 355 6.3 163 3.5 29,140 11,940 2,463 14,548 2,920 27,256 11,144 2,309 13,736 2,726 1,884 6.5 796 6.7 154 6.3 812 5.6 194 6.6 830 7,030 3,685 4,135 4,102 767 6,736 3,482 3,823 3,850 63 7.6 294 4.2 203 5.5 312 7.5 252 6.1 22,807 21,131 11,821 5,002 3,008 21,955 20,345 11,035 4,913 2,812 852 3.7 786 3.7 786 6.6 89 1.8 196 6.5 30,894 4,497 4,476 9,513 10,465 29,156 4,191 4,268 9,186 9,725 1,738 5.6 306 6.8 208 4.6 327 3.4 740 7.1 31,829 33,137 15,784 2,316 9,217 30,747 31,414 15,107 2,060 8,744 1,082 3.4 1,723 5.2 677 4.3 256 11.1 473 5.1 11,616 1,192 2,134 10,042 50,621 11,028 1,143 1,966 9,734 49,109 588 5.1 49 4.1 168 7.9 308 3.1 1,512 3.0 3,438 5,018 4,329 9,788 3,258 4,608 4,089 9,314 180 5.2 410 8.2 240 5.5 474 4.8 13 New Developments Base officials at the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany in Dougherty County have announced that 250 to 350 jobs will be created in their maintenance center to handle the increased work on armor kits and rebuilding vehicles damaged in the war on terror. The officer in charge of the maintenance center stated that jobs would be full time for one-year terms, but could continue for several years depending on the amount of work. One of the maintenance center's biggest projects will be manufacturing steel armor kits to attach to humvees and other military vehicles that are used in Iraq and Afghanistan. These kits that have been designed and created under budget faster than expected have been cited in saving numerous American lives. LG Chem Industrial Materials is building a new 150,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Gordon County south of Calhoun. LGCIM is a division of LG Chem that is a subsidiary of one of the world's largest companies, LG Chem Group of Korea. The new plant represents a $40 million dollar investment and will create up to 70 new jobs initially with the expectation of having 150 to 200 employees within five years. The factory will manufacture acrylic counter tops used with kitchen and bathroom sinks. They will begin hiring in April of 2005 and start production the following June. The decision to initiate manufacturing in the United States was prompted by the popularity of its counter top line LG Hi-Macs in this country. Williams Brothers Lumber Company has pur- chased the old Georgia Box facility between Jackson and Jenkinsburg in Butts County. The company plans to manufacture trusses in the smaller 60,000 square foot building. The larger, 140,000 square foot building will house offices and storage for the other materials that they offer. To be able to offload and redistribute its goods the company will also construct a railroad spur off of the mainline to run beside the buildings. Williams Brothers is one of the premier truss suppliers in the Southeast, servicing all aspects of the industry including single family, multifamily, industrial and agricultural. They also offer a full line of lumber, siding, roofing, millwork, windows, doors, and associated building products. They are planning a grand opening in January of 2005 and initially plan to hire 100 employees, but estimate that their workforce should climb to 150 sometime in the third quarter of next year. Tolleson Lumber Company, which operates a facility in Preston, announced that it plans to double its production at the Webster County facility by adding a second shift. The new equipment investment of between 6 million and 8 million dollars will result in the creation of 85 new jobs for the area. Hiring is expected to begin in early 2005. The company produced 105 million board feet of lumber at the Webster County facility in 2003 and estimates that the payroll increase for the community with the new shift will be between 2.2 million and 2.65 million dollars annually. Amrep, Inc. announced that it would shift produc- tion to its facilities in Lancaster, Texas as well as Marietta, Georgia following the closing of its Jacksonville, Florida manufacturing facility. The transition will take place over the next two quarters and will increase the company's Cobb County employment by about 180 workers bringing the total to around 220. The Georgia plant produces limited brand and private label products that include aerosol, liquid lubricants and wipe products. A grower-owned peanut shelling facility is expected to be up and running in Tifton by May of 2005. The 15 million dollar facility will be funded by 5 million dollars in stock by farmers in Tift County and ten other surrounding counties, a 2.5 million dollar loan from the Tift County Development Authority, and the balance from bank loans. The company, Tifton Quality Peanuts, LLC, has been a project by local farmers that has been almost three years in the making. At its completion it will be one of the largest industrial investments made in Tift County in the last ten years and provide jobs for 45 full time employees. 14 Georgia Unemployment Rates by County August 2004 Dade C atoosa W hitfield M urray F a nnin Towns U ni on R abun W alker C hattooga Floyd Gordon B art ow Gilm er Habersham W hite Lum pkin S tephens Pickens Dawson C herokee F or syt h Hall B anks Franklin Hart Rate 6.0 to 9.9 4.3 to 5.9 Less than 4.3 Jackson M adison Elbert Polk Paulding C obb Gwi nnet t B arrow C larke Oglethorpe Oconee Haralson C arroll Douglas DeK alb R ockdale W alton Fulton Clayton Fayette Henry N e wt on M organ W ilkes L i ncol n Greene Taliaferro Colum bia M cDuffie W arren Heard C oweta S palding B utts Jasper Putnam Hancock Glascock R ichm ond Troup M eriwether Pike Lam ar M onroe Upson Jones B aldwin Jefferson W ashington B urke Harris Talbot C rawford B ibb W ilkinson Johnson Jenkins S creven M uscogee Taylor Peach Twiggs Houston B leckley L a ur e ns Em anuel C hattahoochee Marion S chley M acon W ebster S tewart Sum ter Dooly Pulaski Dodge Treutlen C andler B ulloch Effingham M ontgom ery W heeler Toom bs Evans Tat t na l l B ryan C hat ham Quitm an Terrell R andolph Lee C risp W ilcox Telfair Turner Ben Hill Jeff Davis A ppling Liberty L ong Clay C alhoun Do ughe r t y W orth Irwin Tift C offee B acon W ayne M cIntosh Early B aker M iller M itchell C olquitt B errien A tkinson C ook Pierce W are B rant ley Glynn S em inole Decat ur Grady Thom as B rooks L a ni e r C linch C har lt on Cam den L o wnde s Echols Georgia's Unemployment Rate: 4.3% 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 50 ...... $224 ..... 11.4 Atkinson 21 ...... $180 ..... 13.1 Bacon 33 ...... $196 ..... 11.2 Baker 8 ...... $170 ..... 11.9 Baldwin 191 ...... $185 ..... 10.5 Banks 60 ...... $207 ..... 11.3 Barrow 239 ...... $222 ..... 13.2 Bartow 387 ...... $231 ..... 11.7 Ben Hill 79 ...... $174 ....... 7.2 Berrien 54 ...... $184 ....... 8.6 Bibb 627 ...... $178 ..... 14.5 Bleckley 102 ...... $180 ..... 10.1 Brantley 55 ...... $228 ..... 11.9 Brooks 39 ...... $219 ..... 11.4 Bryan 57 ...... $228 ..... 12.6 Bulloch 140 ...... $183 ..... 13.7 Burke 156 ...... $174 ..... 13.2 Butts 79 ...... $210 ..... 13.8 Calhoun 16 ...... $135 ..... 13.3 Camden 91 ...... $211 ..... 12.7 Candler 31 ...... $191 ..... 12.3 Carroll 375 ...... $210 ..... 12.1 Catoosa 141 ...... $231 ....... 8.7 Charlton 24 ...... $206 ..... 15.2 Chatham 646 ...... $187 ..... 14.9 Chattahoochee 11 ...... $173 ..... 12.5 Chattooga 79 ...... $222 ..... 15.3 Cherokee 421 ...... $246 ..... 15.4 Clarke 312 ...... $191 ..... 14.1 Clay 6 ...... $219 ..... 10.9 Clayton 1,165 ...... $217 ..... 15.7 Clinch 17 ...... $158 ..... 15.2 Cobb 1,860 ...... $242 ..... 16.5 Coffee 188 ...... $191 ..... 14.1 Colquitt 209 ...... $160 ....... 9.9 Columbia 171 ...... $224 ..... 13.0 Cook 60 ...... $189 ..... 10.4 Coweta 328 ...... $213 ..... 12.8 Crawford 53 ...... $215 ..... 14.9 Crisp 88 ...... $180 ....... 8.6 Dade 25 ...... $206 ....... 6.1 Dawson 61 ...... $235 ..... 13.7 Decatur 143 ...... $187 ..... 12.4 DeKalb 3,219 ...... $224 ..... 15.4 Dodge 61 ...... $163 ..... 10.7 Dooly 49 ...... $172 ....... 7.4 Dougherty 367 ...... $174 ..... 14.4 Douglas 371 ...... $239 ..... 15.2 Early 53 ...... $165 ..... 12.3 Echols 6 ...... $219 ..... 13.0 Effingham 124 ...... $229 ..... 13.1 Elbert 98 ...... $174 ....... 8.6 Emanuel 83 ...... $184 ..... 10.3 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 22 ...... $196 ..... 11.7 105 ...... $210 ..... 10.2 172 ...... $237 ..... 16.1 825 ...... $212 ..... 11.1 236 ...... $253 ..... 16.2 194 ...... $208 ..... 11.0 2,978 ...... $217 ..... 16.0 167 ...... $224 ....... 8.6 16 ...... $218 ..... 11.4 222 ...... $206 ..... 12.3 532 ...... $220 ....... 7.3 87 ...... $187 ..... 10.3 75 ...... $170 ..... 11.2 2,354 ...... $245 ..... 15.3 180 ...... $203 ....... 8.1 496 ...... $227 ..... 11.6 41 ...... $175 ..... 10.2 92 ...... $219 ..... 11.6 78 ...... $229 ..... 10.7 141 ...... $194 ....... 8.6 59 ...... $212 ..... 10.4 387 ...... $236 ..... 15.5 274 ...... $195 ..... 13.5 39 ...... $191 ....... 8.4 179 ...... $221 ..... 12.4 45 ...... $240 ..... 13.6 49 ...... $198 ....... 9.2 115 ...... $171 ..... 12.9 72 ...... $163 ....... 8.1 65 ...... $152 ..... 10.6 65 ...... $227 ..... 15.0 85 ...... $185 ..... 11.6 13 ...... $185 ..... 11.1 387 ...... $181 ..... 11.5 78 ...... $229 ..... 11.0 141 ...... $177 ..... 12.5 27 ...... $220 ..... 10.6 22 ...... $196 ..... 14.3 302 ...... $173 ..... 11.5 137 ...... $218 ....... 7.6 81 ...... $176 ..... 11.9 92 ...... $207 ..... 12.1 25 ...... $191 ..... 12.4 132 ...... $173 ..... 10.5 36 ...... $212 ..... 13.6 128 ...... $199 ..... 10.7 36 ...... $182 ..... 10.7 129 ...... $159 ..... 15.2 97 ...... $227 ..... 13.7 47 ...... $212 ....... 9.3 136 ...... $193 ..... 11.4 220 ...... $226 ....... 5.7 618 ...... $177 ..... 12.3 Initial claims include intrastate initial and additional claims, as well as agent state initial and additional claims for regular UI only. Average duration of benefits is represented in weeks. 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 362 ...... $227 ..... 14.9 64 ...... $232 ..... 13.7 51 ...... $199 ..... 13.0 325 ...... $243 ..... 14.9 145 ...... $179 ..... 16.7 94 ...... $232 ..... 12.2 50 ...... $198 ..... 13.7 44 ...... $201 ..... 13.8 294 ...... $205 ....... 9.8 40 ...... $159 ....... 8.4 161 ...... $180 ....... 7.9 3 ...... $144 ..... 21.1 15 ...... $193 ....... 8.6 25 ...... $192 ..... 11.2 727 ...... $184 ..... 13.0 269 ...... $230 ..... 14.7 13 ...... $200 ..... 10.3 82 ...... $171 ..... 11.5 34 ...... $187 ..... 10.4 299 ...... $189 ..... 13.7 262 ...... $217 ..... 11.2 61 ...... $167 ..... 16.3 162 ...... $148 ..... 11.2 24 ...... $190 ..... 11.2 15 ...... $177 ..... 11.3 43 ...... $192 ..... 11.2 32 ...... $202 ..... 13.9 27 ...... $194 ....... 9.6 58 ...... $164 ....... 8.8 179 ...... $182 ..... 13.0 157 ...... $182 ....... 9.2 147 ...... $202 ..... 10.5 27 ...... $207 ..... 11.0 41 ...... $214 ..... 10.7 418 ...... $199 ....... 9.1 80 ...... $153 ....... 9.6 51 ...... $185 ..... 12.4 42 ...... $220 ..... 13.2 88 ...... $187 ..... 12.1 218 ...... $219 ....... 8.4 319 ...... $216 ..... 13.3 140 ...... $189 ..... 12.9 47 ...... $156 ....... 8.8 77 ...... $153 ..... 13.2 97 ...... $215 ..... 13.1 14 ...... $170 ..... 13.8 15 ...... $204 ..... 10.8 63 ...... $199 ..... 10.8 724 ...... $219 ....... 5.3 24 ...... $158 ....... 7.2 32 ...... $167 ..... 12.9 45 ...... $204 ..... 13.3 82 ...... $196 ..... 12.1 Unemployment Insurance Statistics Thousand 100 90 Initial claims 2003-- 2004 2003 2004 15000 Benefit exhaustions Last 12 months 80 70 10000 60 50 40 30 5000 20 10 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 0 Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug 03 04 Initial claims fall by over 5,000 in August... Initial claims fell by over 5,000 in August, dropping from 39,760 in July to this month's total of 34,383, a decline of 13.5 percent. For the year, 321,071 separated workers in Georgia have filed an initial claim, down 25.4 percent when compared to the 430,675 filings from January through August of 2003. This month's figure represents a decline of 20.5 percent (8,881 initial claims) when compared to August's 2003 total of 43,264. Of the 34,383 initial claims filed during the month, 21,726 (63.2%) were for new claims, a drop of 7.6 percent when compared to last year. There were 11,209 additional claims filed in August (32.6% of the initial claims total) a decrease of 39.0 percent when compared to the same month one year ago. For the second consecutive month, all metropolitan statistical areas saw over-the-year reductions in initial claims filings. The Atlanta MSA accounted for 16,496 filings during August, an over-the-year fall of 34.3 percent. The Savannah MSA experienced the largest percent drop (-69.7%), plummeting from 2,960 in August 2003 to this August's total of 897. After two consecutive months of increases, the number of separated workers receiving a benefit check dropped over the month, falling from 65,599 in July to 64,838 in August, a slight dip of 1.2 percent. When compared to last year, this month's figure shrunk by over 17 thousand (-21.2%). Despite the drop off in initial claims and beneficiaries, benefit payments grew in August by 13.1 percent as this month's figure of $52,662,467 was up by more than $6 million over the month. For the year, benefits paid were down by over $6 million (-10.8%). Benefit exhaustions were up over the month, as August's total of 7,939 grew 6.8 percent when compared to July's number of 7,437. Final payments dropped 7.7 percent over the year. The average duration of benefits, which had locked in at 12.8 weeks for four consecutive months before upping to 12.9 weeks in July, fell back to 12.8 weeks for August. The average number of weeks that laid off workers draw benefits stood at 12.0 weeks one year ago. Statistical Trends August 2004 August 2003 Net Change Percent Change Initial Claims .............................................................. 34,383 ................................ 43,264 ................................... -8,881 ............................. -20.5% Continued Weeks Claimed ..................................... 272,167 .............................. 284,432 ................................. -12,265 ............................... -4.3% Beneficiaries ........................................................... 64,838 ................................ 82,254 ................................. -17,416 ............................. -21.2% Benefits Paid .................................................. $52,662,467 ....................... $59,022,973 .......................... -$6,360,506 ............................. -10.8% Weeks Paid ............................................................ 224,921 .............................. 248,935 ................................. -24,014 ............................... -9.6% First Payments ......................................................... 15,499 ................................ 16,378 ...................................... -879 ............................... -5.4% Final Payments .......................................................... 1,939 .................................. 8,603 ................................... -6,664 ............................. -77.5% Average Weekly Benefit ....................................... $234.14 .............................. $237.10 ................................... -$2.96 ............................... -1.2% Average Duration (weeks) ......................................... 12.8 .................................... 12.0 ........................................ 0.8 ................................. 6.7% Trust Fund Balance ...................................... $914,411,571 ..................... $877,065,651 ......................... $37,345,920 ................................. 4.3% 17 The 2004 Edition of the Georgia Wage Survey R Ju ele st ase d GEORGIA Wages for more than 700 occupations by Statewide MSA WIA Area The 2004 Edition of Occupational Wages for Georgia Statewide and Selected Areas Georgia Department of Labor Workforce Information & Analysis Michael L. Thurmand, Commissioner Featuring average wages by education/experience levels for Advanced degree Bachelor's degree Associate's degree Vocational Training Work Experience On-the-job training Available in printed format or online at www.dol.state.ga.us/wp/lmi_publications.htm To obtain a copy to this publication at no charge, please complete and mail this form Mail to: If you prefer, you may e-mail your request to esther.mays@dol.state.ga.us or fax to (404) 232-3888 Esther Mays Workforce Information and Analysis Georgia Department of Labor 223 Courtland Street, NE, Suite 300 Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1751 Please send the 2004 Edition of the Georgia Wage Survey to: Name Company / Agency Address City State Zip Code 18 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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