The Georgia Department of Labor announced that Metro Albany’s unemployment rate in April was 5.6 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 5.7 percent in March. In April 2016, the rate was 6.1 percent.

The rate declined as employers created more jobs and reduced the number of new layoffs.

The number of jobs in Albany increased by 200, or 0.3 percent, to 62,700. The job growth came in the service industries such as trade, transportation and warehousing, along with the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.

Over-the-year, a total of 1,200 jobs were added, a 2 percent growth rate, up from 61,500, in April 2016. The job growth came in the service industries, including retail trade.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance, a measure of new layoffs, declined by 123, or 24.6 percent, to 377. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing, accommodations and food services, and administrative and support services. Over the year, claims were down by 270, or 41.7 percent, from 647 in April 2016.

Between March and April, the labor force, which consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed and actively looking for jobs, declined by 152 to 67,141. As the labor force decreased, so did the numbers of employed and unemployed residents. There were 116 fewer employed and 36 fewer unemployed residents.

However, compared to April a year ago, the labor force had a net increase of 1,550, the number of employed grew by 1,763, and there were 213 fewer unemployed.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 3.9 percent, while the Heart of Georgia and River Valley regions had the highest at 5.9 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for April was 5 percent, down from 5.1 percent in March. It was 5.4 percent in April 2016.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use GDOL’s online job listing service employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In April, 768 new job openings in Albany were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 75,183 new job openings were posted.