Georgia sets new employment, labor force records

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Georgia’s employment and labor force numbers reached an all-time high in May, according to the state’s labor department.

Employment is now at 5,283,862, while the labor force is at 5,470,704. May’s unemployment rate also fell to 3.4%, down from April’s rate of 3.5% and 0.9 percentage points lower than the national average.

“We are the Top State for Business and a Top State for Talent because we put people first and opportunity within reach, and that is exactly why more Georgians are working, more people are in the labor force, and more opportunity is being created in every corner of our state,” Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes said in a statement. “Onward, Georgia.”

Employment measures how many people are working, while the labor force includes those who are unemployed or seeking work.

According to the labor department, employment rose by 56,220 over the past year, while the labor force increased by 63,040.

The sectors with the most month-over-month job gains were accommodation and food services, administrative and support services, and transportation, warehousing and utilities.

Meanwhile, jobs that are down include professional and technical services, construction and non-durable goods manufacturing.