Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Northwest region added to its workforce and number of employed residents in June.

Preliminary results showed that the 12-county area also had fewer unemployment claims filed in June than May.  

“Georgia’s been in an extended growth cycle,” said Butler. “In June, our state and local communities added jobs and employed more people.”

Nationally, the unemployment rate inched up 0.1 percent points in June to reach 3.7 percent. Georgia’s rate dropped 0.1 percentage points to settle at 3.7 percent.

In the region, the unemployment rate rose in June by 0.4 percentage points to settle at 3.7 percent. A year ago, the rate was 4.3 percent.

The labor force increased in June by 2,062. The total came to 421,157.  That number is down by 358 from the total from June 2018.

The Northwest region ended June with 405,390 employed residents.  The number increased by 241 in June and 1,869 as compared to last June.

The number of unemployment claims went down in June by 15 percent. When compared to last June, claims were up by about 6 percent.