The state Labor Department is reporting a slight increase in the Athens unemployment rate, which checks in at 2.9 percent in August, up from 2.6 percent in July. The four-county Athens metro includes Clarke, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Madison counties.
“As we look toward the fall, we are committed to supporting the workforce as employers search for seasonal, full-time, and part-time employees to fill vacancies in preparation for the holiday employment season,” said Commissioner Mark Butler.
The labor force increased in Athens by 191 and ended the month with 102,926. That number went up by 3,476 when compared to August of 2021.
Athens ended August with 102,900 jobs, an all-time high. That number increased by 1,400 from July to August and increased by 6,500 when compared to this time last year.
Athens finished the month with 99,926 employed residents. That number decreased by 178 over the month and rose by 3,850 when compared to the same time a year ago.
The number of unemployment claims went up 3 percent in Athens in August. When compared to last August, claims were down by about 49 percent.