The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) reported today that the preliminary unadjusted unemployment rate in metro Albany declined to 10.5 percent in April, down four-tenths of a percentage point from a revised 10.9 percent in March. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed workers in the metro area decreased to 8,012 down 428 from 8,440 in March.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 10.4 percent in April, down one-tenth of a percentage point from a revised 10.5 percent in March. This is the 31st consecutive month Georgia has exceeded the national rate, which is now 9.9 percent. The state’s April jobless rate was up 1.2 percentage points from 9.2 percent at this same time last year. The jobless rate in metro Albany in April 2009 was 8.1 percent.

Also in April, 1,423 laid-off workers in metro Albany filed initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, a decrease of 24, or 1.7 percent, from 1,447 filed in April 2009. Statewide, 60,661 laid-off workers filed initial claims, a decline of 23,685, or 28.1 percent, from 84,346 filed in April 2009. Most of the first time claims were filed in trade, manufacturing, construction, and administrative and support services.

The state showed a modest increase in new jobs in April for the third consecutive month. The number of jobs increased 26,900, or seven-tenths of a percentage point, from 3,794,700 in March to 3,821,600. However, the number of jobs remains less than in April 2009, when there were 3,912,700 payroll jobs, 2.3 percent or 91,100 more than this year.

The number of payroll jobs in metro Albany decreased 200, or three-tenths of a percentage point, from 62,300 in March to 62,100.

The local area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.state.ga.us.