The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Albany’s unemployment rate decreased to 7.6 percent in April, down three-tenths of a percentage point from 7.9 percent in March. The rate was 8.7 percent in April a year ago.

The rate declined because Metro Albany employers created 200 more jobs over the month and year. The number of jobs increased to 60,900 in April, up from 60,700 in both March and April 2013. Most of the job gains came in trade, transportation, and warehousing.

Also, there were 1,343 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in April, an increase of 752, or 127.2 percent, from 591 in March. Most of the increase in claims was due to temporary layoffs in poultry processing. There were 984 claims filed in April 2013.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.9 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.8 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April was 7.0 percent, unchanged from March. The rate was 8.3 percent in April a year ago.