Local Unemployment Rate Ticks Up

Bartow County's unemployment rate, along with that of northwest Georgia, is up since May, according to statistics released by the .

According to preliminary June figures, the unadjusted jobless rate in Bartow is up .7 to 10.9 percent from a revised 10.2 percent in May.

The preliminary unadjusted unemployment rate in the northwest Georgia also increased to 10.7 percent in June, up .6 from a revised 10.1 percent in May.

The jobless rates in Bartow and the northwest Georgia in June of last year were 11.3 and 10.6 percent, respectively.

The preliminary unadjusted unemployment rate in metro Atlanta increased to 10.5 percent in June, up .8 from a revised 9.7 percent in May. The jobless rate in metro Atlanta in June a year ago was 10.3 percent.

“The increases [were] caused primarily by two seasonal factors,” State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said in a press release. “There were layoffs among non-contract public school employees, such as bus drivers and janitorial workers, and an increase in the labor force, as students began looking for permanent or part-time jobs.”

Atlanta had a net loss of 4,600 jobs, with additional layoffs in manufacturing, trade, administrative and support services, and health care and social assistance.

The lowest area rate, at 8.0 percent, was recorded in Warner Robins, while the highest, at 12.8 percent, was in the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha area near Dublin.

Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 9.9 percent in June, up .1 from a revised 9.8 percent in May. The state’s jobless rate was 10 percent in June a year ago.

June marked the 47th consecutive month Georgia has exceeded the national unemployment rate, which is currently 9.2 percent, up from 9.1 percent in May.