The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced today that Metro Albany’s unemployment rate in January was 6.4 percent, up four-tenths of a percentage point from 6 percent in December. In January 2016, the rate was 6.3 percent.

The rate rose as the number of jobs declined, while new layoffs increased. These are normal seasonal fluctuations for January.

The number of jobs decreased by 600, or 0.9 percent, to 62,900. Job losses came in the service-related industries, such as trade, transportation and warehousing, along with state and local government.

However, over the year, 2,000 jobs were added, a 3.3 percent growth rate, up from 60,900 in January 2016. Most of the job growth came in the service industries and the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance, a measure of new layoffs, rose by 606, or 113.1 percent, to 1,142. Most of the increase came in manufacturing, educational services and administrative and support services. Over the year, claims were up by 378, or 49.5 percent, from 764 in January 2016.

The labor force, which consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed, but actively looking for jobs, grew by 510 to 68,370. The number of unemployed residents rose by 301 to 4,386, while the number of employed residents increased by 209 to 63,984. Over the year, the number of people in the labor force increased by 2,418, as the number of employed  grew by 2,183 and the number of unemployed increased by 235.

Metro Gainesville and the Georgia Mountains region had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.8 percent, while the Three Rivers region had the highest at 7.4 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for January was 5.5 percent, unchanged from a revised 5.5 percent in December. It was 5.6 percent in January 2016.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employers. In January, 631 new job openings in Albany were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 64,018 new job openings were posted.