NW Ga. in ‘tight spot’ as jobless rate remains at or near record lows
Even as unemployment remains low three months into the new year, the focus on providing a strategic work force expands.
In Bartow County, the chamber just launched a website focusing on employers, job seekers and the community — ForBartow.com. In Floyd County, the chamber has refocused one position and is in search of a workforce director charged with “the successful management and effective implementation of workforce development initiatives and programs.”
Both moves and others are targeting what state Labor Commissioner Mark Butler described as a “tight spot” recently.
“Wages and benefits are having to be increased because of a very tight labor market, and we are now seeing the highest number of Georgians ever employed and participating in the workforce,” Butler said. “And with a record number of jobs being created, we have a situation where this will continue to be the case for the immediate future.”
That comment gathered near unanimous “amens” from Northwest Georgia business owners and operators as they struggle to fill jobs. And the March employment report from the state showcases that.
Rome’s March unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.2% vs. 4% in the same month last year. Bartow County reported the same — no change at 3% — and also reported the number of employed there was at an all-time high last month.
“Across Georgia, we continue to see increases in the labor force, the number of employed, and the number of jobs,” Butler. “With Georgia having the lowest unemployment rate of the top 10 most-populated states, we are pleased to see Georgians enter the workforce filling the many open positions available in all of our regions and counties.”
FLOYD COUNTY
The labor force decreased in Rome by 328 and ended the month with 44,055. That number is down 217 when compared to March of 2021.
Rome finished the month with 42,642 employed residents. That number decreased by 342 over the month and is up by 141 when compared to the same time a year ago.
Rome ended March with 41,600 jobs. That number decreased by 200 from February to March and increased by 600 when compared to this time last year.
The number of unemployment claims went down by 23% in Rome in March. When compared to last March, claims were down by about 88%.
Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia. com♦ , showed about 760 active job postings in Rome for March.
BARTOW COUNTY
The labor force increased in March by 139 to 52,964, an all-time high. That number is up 1,878 over-the-year.
Bartow County ended March with an all-time high of 51,352 employed residents. That number increased by 103 in March and was up 2,308 as compared to last year.
Initial claims for unemployment went down by 26% in March. When compared to last March, claims were down about 90%.
Employ Georgia showed 800 active job postings in Bartow County for March.
NORTHWEST GEORGIA
The March preliminary unemployment rate for Northwest Georgia — covering Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd,
Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker and Whitfield counties — remained unchanged at 3%; the rate was 3.6% one year ago.
The labor force was down 11 from February but up 8,328 from March 2021 to 433,918.
The number of employed was down 171 for the month but up 10,615 from a year earlier to 420,752.
Initial claims were up 3 (1%) vs. February; down 8,866 to 1,787 vs. March 2021.
Initial claims were up in Manufacturing and Management of Companies and Enterprises from February, and down in Manufacturing and Accommodation and Food Services from the same month last year.
There were 6,509 jobs posted on Employ Georgia.