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Hinesville jobless rate hits 8.3 percent
State rate breaks into double digits
BIZ jobless june mpa
This map shows unemployment rates across the state. - photo by GDL graphic
The Georgia Department of Labor reported Thursday that the preliminary unadjusted unemployment rate in the metro Hinesville area rose to 8.3 percent in June, up one percentage point from a revised 7.3 percent in May.
That was better than the coastal region, where joblessness jumped up nine-tenths of a percent to 8.9 from May. Metro Savannah’s rate study at 8.6 in June, up seven-tenths of a percent from May.
Meanwhile, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate jumped to 10.1 percent in June, the highest rate ever recorded in Georgia. The jobless rate was up five-tenths of a percentage point from a revised 9.6 percent in May.  
Last month, 483,394 unemployed Georgians were looking for work, an increase of 65 percent from June of 2008. Of that number, 160,249, or 33 percent, are receiving state unemployment insurance benefits, while approximately 93,000 are receiving federal extended benefits.
The June jobless rate was up 4 percentage points from 6.1 percent at this same time last year. Georgia’s unemployment rate remained above the national rate of 9.5 percent for the 20th consecutive month.
The number of payroll jobs in June decreased 209,500, or 5.1 percent, from June of 2008. The over-the-year losses came in professional and business services.
On a positive note, healthcare and educational services, showed a combined increase of 12,000 jobs.
The local area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.state.ga.us
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