ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that metro Hinesville’s unemployment rate decreased to 7.6 percent in April, down 0.3 percent from 7.9 percent in March. The rate was 8.5 percent in April a year ago.
The rate declined because there were 121 fewer unemployed workers.
The number of jobs was unchanged at 19,900 from March to April. However, over the year, jobs were up by 300, or 1.5 percent, from 19,600 in April 2013. Most of the jobs added were in the goods-producing sector, which includes manufacturing and construction. However, 400 federal-government jobs were lost.
Also, there were 187 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in April, an increase of 64, or 52 percent, from 123 in March. Most of the increase in claims came in administrative and support services and manufacturing. There were 248 claims filed in April 2013.
Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.9 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.8 percent.
Georgia’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate for April was 7 percent, unchanged from March. The rate was 8.3 percent in April a year ago.
Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor-market data are available at www.employgeorgia.com