The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Albany’s unemployment rate for July was 6.3 percent, down three-tenths of a percentage point from 6.6 percent in June. The rate in July 2015 was 7.7 percent.

The rate fell as the number of employed residents grew by 129 to 62,540. At the same time, the number of unemployed residents fell by 152 to 4,223. The labor force, which consists of employed people and those who are unemployed but actively looking for jobs, declined by 23 to 66,763 in July.

The number of jobs decreased by 300, or 0.5 percent, to 61,700. Most of the job losses came in state and local government, including the public schools which were on summer break. However, over the year, Albany gained 1,400 jobs, a 2.3 percent growth rate, up from 60,300 in July 2015. Most of the job gains came in the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction, along with local government and other services, such as trade, transportation and warehousing. 

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 23, or 3.8 percent, to 585 in July. Most of the decrease came in construction. And, over the year, claims were down by 28, or 4.6 percent, from 613 in July 2015.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.6 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for July was 5 percent, down from 5.1 percent in June. It was 5.7 percent in July 2015.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service, www.employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In July, 710 new job openings in Albany were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 69,064 new job openings were posted.