Cherokee TV

Local Unemployment Rate at 5.4 Percent, Labor Department Reports

CTV STAFF
Thursday, September 25, 2008

Cherokee County's unemployment rate in August was 5.4 percent, according to preliminary data released Thursday by the Georgia Labor Department. 

The August rate was up from the revised July rate of 5.2 percent - as the county's number of unemployed workers grew by more than 2,000 people since the same month in 2007. The county rate in August 2007 was 3.6 percent.

The department's September 25 report showed the unemployment rate in metro Atlanta increased to a preliminary unadjusted rate of 6.3 percent in August, up almost two percentage points over the year from 4.4 percent in August 2007. The revised rate for July was 6.1 percent.

Across-the-board job losses reportedly occurred in construction, manufacturing, trade, and services.

The new employment data shows Cherokee County's unemployment rate inching closer to Georgia's jobless level, which the department reported for August at a seasonally adjusted 6.3 percent, its highest level in 15 years. The national rate reportedly was 6.1 percent.

The number of jobs in metro Atlanta is decreasing, down by 20,100, or 0.8 percent, over the year,  from 2,469,900 to 2,449,800, the Labor Department reported.

Statewide, 310,683 unemployed Georgians are looking for work, the Labor Department reported.

Cherokee County had 3,900 unemployed workers in August 2007, with the 3.6 percent jobless rate derived from the labor force count of 107,684 and 103,784 employed workers, according to the Labor Department's revised data for the month.

The preliminary data for August showed 5,940 unemployed in the county, for the 5.4 percent rate as the labor force was 104,168 employed workers out of the 110,108 labor force. 

The local area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

"Finding a new job in this economic environment is going to be difficult," said State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond. "But, I continue to encourage job seekers to keep the faith and remember that finding a new job is not impossible. They should make maximum use of the services of the Georgia Department of Labor through our Web site or by personally visiting one of our 53 career centers throughout the state."

The Labor Department's Web site, www.dol.state.ga.us , lists addresses of all career centers.