GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR: JOBS HIT NEW HIGH WHILE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE REMAINS LOW

(Media release from the Georgia Department of Labor):

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler has announced that Georgia’s job numbers increased almost 13,000 over the month to a new all-time high.  The September unemployment rate remained an all-time low of 2.8 percent for the third consecutive month. Georgia’s unemployment rate was seven-tenths of a percent lower than the national September 2022 unemployment rate of 3.5 percent.

Job numbers increased over the month to an all-time high of 4,834,900. Job gains included additional opportunities in Administrative and Support Services, 3,100, Health Care and Social Assistance, 2,800, Accommodation and Food Services, 2,600, Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, 1,800, and Wholesale Trade, 1,800.

“We are continuing to see strong job creation and demand for workers in Georgia,” said Commissioner Butler. “We are seeing some of the best economic opportunities for job seekers that we have seen in years.”

Job numbers were at an all-time high in Trade and Transportation, 1,021,400, including the Wholesale Trade, and Transportation and Warehousing sectors, and in Education and Health Services, 637,300, including the Health Care and Social Assistance sector.

The sectors with the most over-the-year job gains included Accommodation and Food Services, 34,300, Administrative and Support Services, 25,400, Health Care and Social Assistance, 25,100, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, 19,800, Transportation and Warehousing, 19,600, Wholesale Trade, 18,900, and Retail Trade, 15,100. 

Georgia’s number of unemployed was down 1,481 to 148,173, the lowest figure since January 2001’s number of 147,077. The state saw a slight drop in the number of employed residents of 2,909 to 5,126,286 in September bringing the number in the labor force to 5,274,459. 

There are over 178,000 jobs listed online at EmployGeorgia.com, resulting in approximately 235,000 unfilled positions. Market salaries for the jobs listed on Employ Georgia range from $23,000 to $100,000, showing a median salary of $42,000. Job fairs and “Hot Jobs” highlighting employment opportunities can be found on the agency’s social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  

Employers with over 1,000 job postings included Wellstar Health System, 1,900, Home Depot, 1,400, and Piedmont Healthcare, 1,000.
Industries with over 10,000 job postings included Health Care, 33,000, Retail Trade, 17,000, Accommodation and Food Services, 15,000, Manufacturing, 13,000, Finance and Insurance, 11,000, and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, 10,000.
Initial claims were down 5,180 (19%) from August to 21,570 in September. Over the year, initial claims were down 7,265 (25%).

For personalized assistance, employers can reach Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) staff at https://dol.georgia.gov/employeremail. Additionally, by visiting Employ Georgia, employers can manage job openings and access the state’s talent pool. GDOL’s Career Centers are providing in-person employment services for customers across the state.

For more information on jobs and current labor force data, visit Georgia LaborMarket Explorer to view a comprehensive report.