Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the River Valley region’s unemployment rate fell in February.
 
The 16-county region also saw a drop in initial unemployment claims.  Most critical indicators were positive for the year.   
 
“These early numbers look very solid,” Butler said. “We are seeing communities add workers and grow their labor force. It’s looking like we can expect a very productive year in terms of job creation and hiring.”
 
The unemployment rate for January went up by 1.2 percentage points but decreased in February by 1.0 percentage point, coming in at 4.9 percent.  A year ago, the rate was 5.4 percent.
 
The labor force in River Valley grew by 937 in January and fell by 1,520 in February to reach 148,423. That number is down by 1,002 over the past year, an average monthly decrease of about 80.  
 
River Valley lost 961 employed residents in January but gained 70 in February, bringing the total to 141,157. The number is down 185 for the year, or about 15 per month.
 
Claims for unemployment insurance rose by 74 percent in January but fell by about 68 percent in February. They were down by 15 percent when compared to the same month a year ago.