Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Southern Georgia’s unemployment rate decreased in June. 

Due to the effects of COVID-19, all regions and counties continue to see stinted yearly growth, yet monthly gains in nearly all major sectors are beginning to spike.  

“June continued to show positive growth across all regions and counties,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “We saw almost all major indicators head in the right direction but continue to work to support Georgia businesses and get Georgians back to work.”  

In Southern Georgia, the unemployment rate decreased in June to 5.8 percent, a decrease of .7 percentage points. A year ago, the rate was 3.9 percent. 

The labor force decreased in June by 362. The June total was 172,118. That number is down by 4,208 from the total from June 2018.

Southern Georgia ended June with 162,092 employed residents.  The number increased by 853 in June and was down 7,274 as compared to last year.

Initial claims for unemployment decreased by 15 percent in June. When compared to last June, claims were up by about 2,837 percent.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 1,054 active job postings in Southern Georgia for June.