‘Help wanted’ signs still prevalent
♦ May first-time jobless claims dropped 12% in Floyd County and 11% in Bartow County.
May was a see-saw month as the work force was up 900 jobs from a year earlier, to 41,900, and held steady vs. April. At the same time Floyd, Bartow and other Northwest Georgia counties saw the jobless rate inch up compared to April’s record lows.
Compared to May of 2021,however, the unemployment rate was down in all counties.
“Even though the labor force increased in all of our regions, counties, and metropolitan service areas, job postings continue to outpace those gains placing strain on employers to find talent for open positions,” said Labor Commissioner Mark Butler.
“Many areas across our state are experiencing difficulty in filling many of the seasonal, temporary jobs normally filled with summer workers, because of opportunities in full-time employment,” he added.
The jobs page on the Romefloyd Chamber website Thursday showed 153 positions, many tied to area colleges, county government and dining or hospitality. From billboards to highway placards to window postings, “help wanted” signs remain dominant across the region.
Here’s a snapshot of the May employment report; monthly unemployment rates are due next Thursday.
FLOYD COUNT Y
♦ Rome recorded an unemployment rate of 2.8% in May, up four-tenths of a percent over the month. A year ago, the rate was 3.7%.
♦ The labor force decreased in Rome by 73 and ended the month with 43,712. That number is down 112 when compared to May of 2021.
♦ Rome finished the month with 42,499 employed residents. That number decreased by 237 over the month and is up by 309 when compared to the same time a year ago.
♦ Rome ended May with 41,800 jobs. Jobs were flat over the month and up 900 when compared to this time last year.
♦ The number of unemployment claims went down by 12% in Rome in May. When compared to last May, claims were down by about 80%.
♦ Employgeorgia.com, the GDOL’S online job listing service, showed about 742 active job postings in Rome for May.
BARTOW COUNTY
♦The labor force increased in May by 88 to 52,563. That
number is up 1,700 over the year.
♦ Bartow County ended May with 51,246 employed residents. The number of employed was down 91 overthe-month and up 2,191 overthe-year.
♦ Initial claims for unemployment went down by 11% in May. When compared to last May, claims were down about 87%.
♦ Employgeorgia.com showed 823 active job postings in Bartow County for May.
NORTHWEST GEORGIA
This region covers Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker and Whitfield counties.
♦ The May preliminary unemployment rate was up four-tenths to 2.6%, the rate was 3.3% one year ago.
♦ The labor force was up 901 and up 6,949 from a year ago to 430,046.
♦ The number of employed was down 890 from April and up 9,832 from a year ago to 418,761.
♦ Initial claims were up 339 (25%) from April and down 5,054 (-75%) from May 2021 to 1,702.
♦ Initial claims were up vs. April in Manufacturing and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, and down from May 2021 in Trade and Accommodation and Food Services.
♦ There were 6,042 jobs posted on Employgeorgia. com.