The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Athens’ unemployment rate for December was 4.8 percent, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 4.7 percent in November. The rate in December 2014 was 5.5 percent.

The rate rose in December as jobs decreased by 100 and new layoffs, as measured by initial unemployment insurance claims, increased by 123. 

The number of jobs decreased to 95,200, or 0.1 percent, from 95,300 in November. Most of the decrease came in state government. 

Over the year, Athens gained 1,500 jobs, a growth rate of 1.6 percent, up from 93,700 in December 2014. Most of the job gains came in state and local government, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality. 

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 26.9 percent, to 581 in December. Most of the increase came in administrative and support services, accommodations and food services and retail trade. However, over the year, claims were down by 36, or 5.8 percent, from 617 in December 2014.     

Metro Gainesville had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.3 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha and River Valley regions had the highest at 6.6 percent.  

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for December was 5.5 percent, down from 5.6 percent in November. It was 6.6 percent in December 2014.