Department of Labor says unemployment rates are down in Georgia for the first time in a year

GEORGIA — According to the Department of Labor, Georgia’s unemployment rate is down for the first time in 12 months.

Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson announced on Wednesday that Georgia’s January unemployment rate was 3.1, the first drop in over a year.

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That rate was at 3.2 percent for each month during 2023.

Thompson said Georgia’s workers and employers are “thriving.”

“With low unemployment and a competitive job market, Georgia’s workers and employers are thriving together,” said Thompson. “Fostering innovation, investing in skills, diversifying our economy, and supporting businesses, especially sectors experiencing hiring and labor challenges, ensures Georgia will remain a hub of opportunity and prosperity for all.”

TRENDING STORIES:

According to stats from the DOL, the sectors with the most over-the-month job gains included:

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, 2,700
Local Government, 2,300
Accommodation and Food Services, 2,200
Real Estate, Rental, and Leasing, 2,100
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, 1,000

The DOL stats also showed that jobs were down in:

Transportation and Warehousing, primarily in General Freight Trucking, -8,500
Health Care and Social Assistance, -1,400
Durable Goods Manufacturing, -1,100

The most over-the-year job gains included:

Health Care and Social Assistance, 24,000
Accommodation and Food Services, 12,000
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, 11,200
Local Government, 11,000
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, 8,400

Jobs were down in:

Information, which includes Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries, -19,600
Transportation and Warehousing, -17,200
Administrative and Support Services, -15,600

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