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Savannah posts record labor force in June
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Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said last week that Savannah’s labor force reached an all-time high in June as its unemployment rate climbed.

At the same time, the three-county metropolitan statistical area of Bryan, Chatham and Effingham counties also posted slight decreases in the number of employed and jobs, though all indicators remain positive for the year.    

During the month, the labor force grew faster than could be absorbed through hiring, causing the unemployment rate to rise. The commissioner remains confident about the overall job market.

“The Georgia job market is very strong,” said Butler. “An uptick in the unemployment rate is common this time of year due to an increase in high school and college graduates entering the workforce.”

The labor force saw typical gains in June as students and recent graduates sought summer employment. It grew by 484 to 189,264, a gain of 2,566 for the year.

As a result, the June unemployment rate increased to 4 percent, up .7 percent from the previous month but down from 4.7 percent one year ago.  

Savannah lost 200 jobs for the month, its total settling at 180,900. Still, Savannah is up 900 jobs for the year.

The number of employed also decreased in June, with Savannah losing 823 employed residents. At 181,770 total employed residents, Savannah is up by 3,772 for the year.  

Initial claims for unemployment fell by about 13 percent for the month and are down by about 4 percent from last year.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 2,247 active job postings in metro Savannah for June.

Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers and to connect with us on social media.

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