The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Albany’s unemployment rate for June was 7.6 percent, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 7.3 percent in May. The rate in June 2014 was 9.0 percent.

The rate rose as the number of jobs decreased and the number of new layoffs, as measured by unemployment insurance claims, increased. 

The number of jobs in Albany decreased by 1,000, or 1.6 percent, in June to 60,200. Most of the job losses came in the private, service-related industries, which includes repair and maintenance and personal and laundry services, along with the goods-producing sector, which includes construction and manufacturing. 

Also, there was an over-the-year loss of 600 jobs, or 1.0 percent, from June 2014. Most of the job losses came in state government and the goods-producing sector, including manufacturing and construction. 

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 106, or 19.4 percent, to 653 in June. Most of the increase came in manufacturing and professional and technical services. Over the year, claims were down by 142, or 17.9 percent, from 795 filed in June 2014.     

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.3 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.2 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for June was 6.1 percent, down from 6.3 percent in May. It was 7.3 percent in June 2014.