Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that all Regional Commissions recorded a drop in unemployment rates in July.

"This summer, we have seen unemployment rates drop while job numbers have climbed," said Commissioner Mark Butler. "As employers have worked to fill positions with the most qualified people, job seekers have taken advantage of the wide range of employment opportunities with more benefits and flexibility than ever before.”

The labor force went down in all Regional Commissions.

Employment was up in the Atlanta Regional Commission, Central Savannah River Regional Commission, and Three Rivers Regional Commission.

Claims rose in all Regional Commissions.

Please see a synopsis of each regional commission below:
o-t-m – over the month
o-t-y – over the year

Atlanta Regional Commission - Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties.

The July preliminary unemployment rate was down four-tenths to 2.8 percent o-t-m, the rate was 4.2 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 9,094 o-t-m and up 177,662 o-t-y, to 2,648,665.
The number of employed was up 708 o-t-m and up 207,398 o-t-y, to 2,573,705.
Initial claims were up 74 (1%) o-t-m and down 14,797 (-57%) o-t-y, to 11,407.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, and down o-t-y in Administrative and Support Services and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 100,184 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Central Savannah River Regional Commission - Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington, and Wilkes counties.

The July preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 3.7 percent o-t-m, the rate was 4.6 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 152 o-t-m and down 1,333 o-t-y, to 208,368.
The number of employed was up 397 o-t-m and up 503 o-t-y, to 200,555.
Initial claims were up 447 (36%) o-t-m and down 973 (-37%) o-t-y, to 1,695.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and down o-t-y in Manufacturing and Health Care and Social Assistance.
There were 6,589 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Coastal Georgia Regional Commission - Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Screven counties.

The July preliminary unemployment rate was down four-tenths to 2.8 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.9 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 2,813 o-t-m and up 656 o-t-y, to 344,374.
The number of employed was down 1,334 o-t-m and up 4,401 o-t-y, to 334,653.
Initial claims were up 228 (21%) o-t-m and down 1,573 (-54%) o-t-y, to 1,321.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and down o-t-y in Accommodation and Food Services and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 11,232 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Georgia Mountains Regional Commission - Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties.

The July preliminary unemployment rate was down four-tenths to 2.4 percent o-t-m, the rate was 2.8 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,426 o-t-m and down 125,587 o-t-y, to 236,736.
The number of employed was down 547 o-t-m and down 121,199 o-t-y, to 231,038.
Initial claims were up 206 (29%) o-t-m, and down 453 (-33%) o-t-y, to 915.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Health Care and Social Assistance, and down o-t-y in Trade and Transportation and Warehousing.
There were 3,376 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Heart of Georgia – Altamaha Regional Commission - Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler, and Wilcox counties.

The July preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 3.6 percent o-t-m, the rate was 4.4 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,491 o-t-m and down 1,041 o-t-y, to 117,003.
The number of employed was down 1,053 o-t-m and up 15 o-t-y, to 112,841.
Initial claims were up 148 (22%) o-t-m, and down 690 (-46%) o-t-y, to 817.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Trade and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Accommodation and Food Services and Transportation and Warehousing.
There were 913 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Middle Georgia Regional Commission - Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Pulaski, Putnam, Twiggs, and Wilkinson counties.

The July preliminary unemployment rate was down four-tenths to 3.2 percent o-t-m, the rate was 4.2 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,039 o-t-m and up 574 o-t-y, to 220,480.
The number of employed was down 216 o-t-m and up 2,731 o-t-y, to 213,360.
Initial claims were up 305 (28%) o-t-m and down 1,516 (-52%) o-t-y, to 1,415.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and down o-t-y in Transportation and Warehousing and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 6,500 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Northeast Georgia Regional Commission - Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Walton counties.

The July preliminary unemployment rate was down four-tenths to 2.6 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.5 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,317 o-t-m and up 10,601 o-t-y, to 325,289.
The number of employed was down 93 o-t-m and up 12,951 o-t-y, to 316,744.
Initial claims were up 180 (16%) o-t-m and down 1,213 (-49%) o-t-y, to 1,283.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and down o-t-y in Trade and Administrative and Support Services.
There were 7,927 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Northwest Georgia Regional Commission - Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties.

The July preliminary unemployment rate was down four-tenths to 2.7 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.4 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 2,002 o-t-m and up 3,444 o-t-y, to 429,624.
The number of employed was down 262 o-t-m and up 6,539 o-t-y, to 418,192.
Initial claims were up 82 (3%) o-t-m and down 473 (-13%) o-t-y, to 3,055.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and down o-t-y in Administrative and Support Services and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 5,059 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

River Valley Regional Commission - Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, and Webster counties.

The July preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 4.0 percent o-t-m, the rate was 5.6 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 561 o-t-m and down 1,016 o-t-y, to 144,329.
The number of employed was down 36 o-t-m and up 1,463 o-t-y, to 138,627.
Initial claims were up 188 (20%) o-t-m and down 2,801 (-71%) o-t-y, to 1,124.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and down o-t-y in Administrative and Support Services and Transportation and Warehousing.
There were 4,058 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Southern Georgia Regional Commission - Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, Turner, and Ware counties.

The July preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 3.1 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.9 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,426 o-t-m and down 834 o-t-y, to 178,531.
The number of employed was down 945 o-t-m and up 541 o-t-y, to 172,945.
Initial claims were up 475 (55%) o-t-m and down 768 (-36%) o-t-y, to 1,339.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Manufacturing and Administrative and Support Services, and down o-t-y in Transportation and Warehousing and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 982 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Southwest Georgia Regional Commission - Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth counties.

The July preliminary unemployment rate was down four-tenths to 3.4 percent o-t-m, the rate was 4.5 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 1,100 o-t-m and down 745 o-t-y, to 147,338.
The number of employed was down 509 o-t-m and up 942 o-t-y, to 142,302.
Initial claims were up 182 (23%) o-t-m and down 777 (-44%) o-t-y, to 992.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Trade and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Transportation and Warehousing and Retail Trade.
There were 1,325 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

Three Rivers Regional Commission - Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, and Upson counties.

The July preliminary unemployment rate was down three-tenths to 2.8 percent o-t-m, the rate was 3.9 percent one year ago.
The labor force was down 703 o-t-m and up 4,794 o-t-y, to 258,466.
The number of employed was up 85 o-t-m and up 7,324 o-t-y, to 251,109.
Initial claims were up 300 (18%) o-t-m and down 1,278 (-39%) o-t-y, to 1,983.
Initial claims were up o-t-m in Administrative and Support Services and Manufacturing, and down o-t-y in Health Care and Social Assistance and Accommodation and Food Services.
There were 2,989 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.

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