Media release from the Georgia Department of Labor:
The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced today that in March Georgia’s labor force and employment rose to record highs of 5,455,254 and 5,262,263, respectively. The March unemployment rate was 3.5%, which is 0.8 percentage point lower than the national unemployment rate and 0.1 percentage point higher than Georgia’s rate one year ago. This is down from a revised 3.6% in February.
“Georgia’s economy is proving its strength with nearly 5.5 million in our labor force and 5.26 million employed, record highs that reflect momentum across our state,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. “March brought renewed job growth, driven by record employment in health care and social assistance and 2,500 more jobs than a year ago. This is what resilient, sustainable growth looks like, and Georgia is delivering.”
In March, Georgia’s labor force increased by 4,152 to 5,455,254, an all-time high, and rose by 45,920 over the past year.
Employment rose by 5,355 to 5,262,263 an all-time high and increased by 35,302 over the past 12 months.
Unemployment declined by 1,203 to 192,991 and increased by 10,618 over the past year.
In March, jobs were up by 4,700 over the month to 4,982,800 and increased by 2,500 over the past 12 months. After two consecutive months of decline, Georgia jobs rebounded in March.
The sector reaching an all-time high for jobs in March 2026 was health care and social assistance, 641,700.
In March, the sectors with the most over the month job gains were health care and social assistance, 2,900; wholesale trade, 1,900; information, 1,600; arts, entertainment, and recreation, 1,300; and other services, 1,000.
Jobs were down over the month in accommodation and food services, 1,300; construction, 1,200; real estate and rental and leasing, 900; professional and technical services, 600; and private educational services, 600.
The sectors with the most job gains over the past year were health care and social assistance, 24,600; local government, 3,800; arts, entertainment, and recreation, 2,300; state government, 2,100; and other services; 2,100.
Jobs were down over the year in federal government, 12,000; accommodation and food services, 4,100; retail trade, 3,600; transportation, warehousing, and utilities, 3,300; and construction, 2,700.
Initial claims were up 918 over the month to 17,469 in March and down 1,827 over the year.
For personalized assistance, employers can reach Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) staff at https://dol.georgia.gov/email-us. For more information on unemployment benefits, claimants should call 877.709.8185 or visit their MyUI Claimant Portal. GDOL’s Career Centers also provide in-person unemployment insurance benefit services for customers statewide.
For more information on jobs and current labor force data, visit Georgia LaborMarket Explorer to view a comprehensive report.
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