Atlanta -- The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that the unemployment rate in metro Savannah rose to 8.3 percent in January, but still was below January a year earlier when the jobless rate was 8.9 percent.
January was up two-tenths of a percentage point from 8.1 percent in December.
The rate rose because of two primary factors – a loss of seasonal jobs and an increase in new layoffs, represented by initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits.
The number of jobs declined by 3,200, or 2.0 percent, from 158,500 in December to 155,300 in January. However, metro Savannah started the year with 4,200 more jobs in January than a year ago. Over the year, jobs were up by 2.8 percent, from 151,100 in January 2012. Job increases came mostly in trade, transportation, and warehousing, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, professional and business services, and local government.
The number of initial claims, tied to many of the seasonal layoffs, rose by 359, or 25 percent, from 1,436 to 1,795. Most of the claims were filed in construction, manufacturing, trade, transportation, and warehousing, administrative and support services, and health care and social assistance. However, the number of initial claims is down by 21 from January a year ago.
Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 6.6 percent, while metro Dalton and the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region tied for the highest at 11.9 percent.
Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January was 8.7 percent, unchanged from December. The rate was 9.3 percent in January a year ago.
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.state.ga.us.