Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the Northeast Georgia region set a record high for number of employed for the month of May.
 
The area also saw an increase in the size of the labor force and a decrease in the unemployment rate – both positive indicators.
 
“Georgia’s economy remains very strong,” said Butler. “Across the board, the state’s numbers are very positive for the year and many areas continue to set records.”
 
The number of employed residents in the region grew to 298,144 – an all-time high. This represents an increase of 875 for the month and an increase of 10,718 for the year.
 
In May, the unemployment rate in the Northeast Georgia region fell 0.2 percent to 3.3 percent, down from 4.3 percent a year ago. This is the second lowest unemployment rate of all 12 regions in the state. The rates vary from a low of 2.9 percent in the Georgia Mountains to 4.5 percent in the River Valley region.
 
The Northeast Georgia labor force ended May at 308,350. That number is up 452 over the last month and up 7,895 over the last year.
 
In the Northeast Georgia region, initial claims for unemployment were up about 5 percent for the month but down about 5 percent for the year.
 
The Northeast Georgia region includes Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Walton counties.