The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Atlanta’s unemployment rate for July was 5.1 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from 5.3 percent in June. The rate in July 2015 was 6 percent.

The rate fell as the number of employed residents grew by 34,452 to 2,799,438. At the same time, the number of unemployed residents fell by 2,844 to 150,897. The labor force, which consists of employed people and those who are unemployed but actively looking for jobs, grew by 31,568 to 2,950,335 in July.

The number of jobs decreased by 500 to 2,656,200. Most of the job losses came in state and local government, including the public schools which were on summer break.  

However, over the year, Atlanta gained 74,800 jobs, a 2.9 percent growth rate, up from 2,581,400 in July 2015. Most of the job gains came in trade, transportation and warehousing, 17,700; professional and business services, 17,200; leisure and hospitality, 15,500; education and health services, 10,200; construction, 7,800; manufacturing, 5,600; government, 4,400; and financial activities, 3,300. Information services lost 5,700 jobs.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 1,844, or 13.5 percent, to 15,469 in July. Most of the increase came in several industries such as manufacturing and construction, administrative and support services, which includes temporary staffing agencies, and trade, transportation and warehousing.  However, over the year, claims were down by 1,232, or 7.4 percent, from 16,701 in July 2015.

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.6 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for July was 5 percent, down from 5.1 percent in June. It was 5.7 percent in July 2015.

Job seekers and employers are encouraged to use the GDOL’s online job listing service, www.employgeorgia.com to search for jobs or recruit new employees. In July, 47,344 new job openings in Atlanta were posted on Employ Georgia. Throughout the state, 69,064 new job openings were posted.