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State jobless rate drops under 10%
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ATLANTA — Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 9.9 percent in April, down one-tenth of a percentage point from a revised 10 percent in March, Georgia’s labor commissioner said.
The state’s jobless rate was 10.1 percent in April a year ago.
Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday it’s the first time in nearly two years that Georgia’s unemployment has dipped below 10 percent and it’s also the third consecutive month of job growth in the state.
“This developing trend shows increasing confidence in the economy,” Butler said.
The last time the state’s rate was below 10 percent was in June 2009, when it was 9.8 percent.
There were 3,834,100 payroll jobs in April, up by 30,100 from March. Most of the jobs were added in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, trade, educational and health services and construction.
There were 254,800 long-term unemployed Georgians in April, down 6,700, or 2.6 percent, from 261,500 in March, Butler said.
He said the long-term unemployed account for 55.1 percent of Georgia’s 462,370 jobless workers.
Butler said 54,337 laid-off workers filed initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits in April, an increase of 4,006, or 8 percent, from 50,331 in March. Most of the first-time claims were filed in manufacturing, administrative and support services, trade, and construction.

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