Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Bartow County’s unemployment claims spiked in March.
Due to the effects of COVID-19, all regions and counties throughout the state saw a dramatic incline in initial claims along with the unemployment rate.
“Although we are seeing the effects of COVID-19 throughout the state in spikes in unemployment, we are working very diligently to come up with solutions to get Georgians back to work as soon as it is safe to do so,” Butler said.
In Bartow County, the unemployment rate increased in March to 4.2 percent, an increase of 0.8 percentage points. A year ago, the rate was 3.4 percent.
The number of unemployment claims dramatically increased by 1,218 percent in March due to COVID-19 related temporary lay-offs. When compared to last March, claims were up by about 1,641 percent.
The labor force decreased in March by 305. The March total was 51,184. That number is up by 869 from the total from March 2018.
Bartow County ended March with 49,039 employed residents. The number decreased by 678 in March and was up 437 as compared to last year.
Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 448 active job postings in Bartow County for March.
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DATA FOR THE METRO AREAS ARE ATTACHED. TABLES AND GRAPHS REFLECTING LABOR MARKET DATA ARE AVAILABLE AT: http://dol.georgia.gov/current-labor-force-data-and-graphs