The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Georgia’s labor force and employment smashed records for the ninth consecutive month in September, hitting historic highs of 5.5 million workers and 5.3 million jobs alongside a 50-year low in initial jobless claims. Even as the unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 3.3%, the September rate was 0.1 percentage point lower than a year ago and remained 0.9 percentage point below the national rate. 

"Georgia's workforce is making history,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. “With nine consecutive months of record employment, unemployment claims at a 50-year low, and career opportunities expanding statewide, we are proving that Georgia is the Top State for Talent. Here, employers find skilled workers and Georgians build careers." 

In September, Georgia's labor force increased by 13,679 to 5,504,015, an all-time high, and rose by 73,187 over the past year. 

Employment rose by 10,279 to an all-time high of 5,325,131 and was up 80,830 over the past year. 

In September, Georgia’s initial claims decreased by 953 over the month to 15,874, marking a 3,140-claim decline from the previous year. Prior to this, the state had not recorded a monthly total that low in more than half a century — not since April 1974, when 15,697 initial claims were filed. 

Unemployment increased by 3,400 to 178,884 but was down 7,643 over the past 12 months. 
 
In September, jobs were down 500 over the month to 4,983,000 and were down 200 over the year. Jobs in Georgia were up in August. 

The sectors with the most over-the-month job gains included local government, 3,300; professional and technical services, 1,600; state government, 700; non-durable goods manufacturing, 600; and wholesale trade, 500.

Jobs were down over-the-month in private educational services, 1,600; health care and social assistance, 1,400; accommodation and foods services, 1,100; arts, entertainment, and recreation, 800; and administrative and support services, 800.

The sectors with the most over-the-year job gains included health care and social assistance, 18,900; local government; 6,100; durable goods manufacturing, 5,100; administrative and support services, 3,600; and state government, 3,400.

Jobs were down over-the-year in federal government, 8,800; professional and technical services, 8,600; construction, 4,900; accommodation and food services, 4,700; and finance and insurance, 3,700.