In The News

Georgia Department of Labor: 

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler announced today that Georgia's unemployment rate dropped to 3.1 percent in October, the lowest rate in Georgia's recorded history. The rate was down two-tenths from a revised 3.3 percent in September. The national October 2021 unemployment rate was down two-tenths to 4.6 percent. Jobs in Georgia were up 21,000 over the month and are up 4.5 percent over the year to 4,605,600.

"We have seen continuous job growth this year as we have gained back 90 percent of the jobs lost during the pandemic," said Commissioner Butler. "The continual increase in employment opportunity, particularly in those areas hardest hit by the pandemic, reinforces the critical need for encouraging available Georgians back into the workforce."

Since May 2021, job growth has increased by 117,400 and October's growth marks only the fifth time since 1990 that over the month job growth for October was over 20,000 (2020, 2017, 2004, 1993). The sectors of Administrative and Support Services, Transportation and Warehousing, and Retail Trade have all recouped the jobs lost during the pandemic and have added to their respective totals. At the same time, Accommodation and Food Services, Local Government, and Religious, Grants, Civic, and Professional Services, among others, continue to struggle to fill jobs. READ MORE