The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that the four-county Albany Metropolitan Statistical Area recorded an unemployment rate of 4.5% in June, up five-tenths over the month. A year ago, the rate was 4.7%.

“June's unemployment trends tell a familiar story — Georgia's students are stepping into our workforce as schools let out for summer, creating the temporary unemployment and hiring fluctuations typical for this time of year,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. “With Georgia's recent historic announcement of 5 million jobs, these students are stepping into a local workforce that belongs to them, in a state that's proven over and over that when Georgians show up, opportunity follows.”

Albany’s labor force increased by 284 over the month and decreased by 1,031 over the year, to 61,609.

Albany finished the month with 58,823 employed residents. That number decreased by 40 from the previous month and fell by 844 compared to the same time last year.

Albany ended June with 61,700 jobs. Jobs increased by 100 over the month and decreased by 100 over the year.

In June, initial unemployment claims decreased by 21 over the month and fell by 63 compared to the same month a year ago, totaling 238.