The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Athens’ unemployment rate for August was 5.6 percent, down seven-tenths of a percentage point from 6.3 percent in July. The rate in August 2014 was 7.1 percent.

The rate declined as employers created more jobs and layoffs, as measured by initial unemployment insurance claims, decreased. 

The number of jobs in Athens increased by 1,200, or 1.3 percent, in August to 92,800. The job gains came mostly in local and state government and other service-related industries. 

Over-the-year, Athens gained 1,800 jobs, a growth rate of 2.0 percent, from 91,000 in August 2014. Most of the job growth came in state and local government, as school system employees returned from the summer recess, leisure and hospitality, and professional and business services. 

Also, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 161, or 30.6 percent, to 365 in August. Most of the decrease came in wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, administrative and support services, and accommodations and food services. However, over the year, claims were up by 31, or 9.3 percent, from 334 in August 2014.     

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.8 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 7.7 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for August was 5.9 percent, down from 6.0 percent in July. It was 7.1 percent in August 2014.