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Coastal, metro jobless rates up
lf coastal
This Department of Labor graph shows the jobless rate across the region - photo by DOL graphic

ATLANTA – Jobless numbers for both metro Savannah and the Coastal Georgia region rose slightly in January.
The Georgia Department of Labor announced last week that the unemployment rate in metro Savannah rose to 8.3 percent in January, up two-tenths of a percentage point from 8.1 percent in December. The rate was 8.9 percent in January 2012.
The rate rose because of two primary factors — a loss of seasonal jobs and an increase in new layoffs, represented by initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits, according to the labor department.
The number of jobs declined by 3,200, or 2 percent, from 158,500 in December to 155,300 in January. However, metro Savannah started the year with 4,200 more jobs in January than a year ago. Over the year, jobs were up by 2.8 percent, from 151,100 in January 2012. Job increases came mostly in trade, transportation, and warehousing, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, professional and business services and local government.
The number of initial claims, tied to many of the seasonal layoffs, rose by 359, or 25 percent, from 1,436 to 1,795. Most of the claims were filed in construction, manufacturing, trade, transportation and warehousing, administrative and support services and health care and social assistance. However, the number of initial claims is down by 21 from January a year ago.  
The labor department also announced last week that in the Coastal Georgia region, the unemployment rate rose to 9.0 percent in January, up three-tenths of a percentage point from 8.7 percent in December. The rate was 9.5 percent in January 2012.
The rate rose because there were 454 more new claims for unemployment benefits in construction, trade, transportation and warehousing, administrative and support services and health care and social assistance, according to the Department of Labor.
While the initial claims were up from December to January, they were down by 453, or 11.9 percent, from 3,810 in January 2012. The decline in claims led to an over-the-year drop in the area’s jobless rate.  
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.state.ga.us.

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