The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Albany’s unemployment rate for January was 7.6 percent, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 7.3 percent in December. The rate in January 2014 was 8.7 percent.

The rate increased as the metro area lost 800 mostly temporary and part-time jobs related to the holiday season. The number of jobs in Metro Albany declined to 61,000 down from 61,800 in December. Most of the loss came in retail trade, transportation, warehousing, and state government. 

However, there was an over-the-year gain of 400 jobs, up from 60,600 in January 2014. Most of the job gains came in the private sector’s service-related industries.  

Although there was a loss of mainly holiday-related jobs, the number of new claims for unemployment decreased to 855, a drop of 133, or 13.5 percent, from December. Most of the decrease in claims came in construction, accommodations and food services, and administrative and support services. Over the year, claims were down by 40, or 4.5 percent, from 895 filed in January 2014.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.2 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.3 percent.      

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for January was 6.4 percent, down from 6.6 percent in December. It was 7.3 percent in January 2014. 

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.gdol.ga.gov Connect with us on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter @GeorgiaDOL, which can be easily accessed via our website at www.gdol.ga.gov.