August 22, 2019–9:08 a.m.

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Rome added to its labor force and number of employed residents in July.

According to preliminary data, Rome also saw strong annual numbers. The unemployment rate increased across the one-county metropolitan statistical area (MSA).

“July was another solid month for Georgia,” Butler said. “The state numbers were strong and many of our local communities added to their labor force, which was badly needed. Many areas of the state also increased the number of employed residents. Georgia continues to head in the right direction.”

Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged in July at 3.7 percent. Georgia’s rate dropped 0.1 percentage points to settle at 3.6 percent.  A year ago, Georgia’s unemployment rate sat at 3.8 percent.

Rates fell across 12 of Georgia’s 14 MSAs.

In Rome, the unemployment rate increased by 0.5 percentage points in July, reaching 4.6 percent. A year ago, the rate was 4.9 percent.

Rome ended July with 42,200 jobs. That’s a decrease of 200 jobs over the month and an increase of 900 jobs when compared to the same time a year ago.

The labor force increased in July by 247. The total was 44,746. That number is up by 166 from the total from July 2018.

Rome ended July with 42,709 employed residents.  That number increased by 21 over the month and increased by 324 when compared to the same time a year ago.

The number of unemployment claims increased by about 138 percent in July. When compared to last July, claims were up by about 47 percent.

The metropolitan statistical area includes just Floyd County.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed about 283 active job postings in metro Rome for July.