GA Unemployment Claims Rise From Year Earlier

ATLANTA (AP) - The Georgia Department of Labor says first-time claims for state unemployment insurance benefits jumped by more than 17 percent in September from a year ago, but fell from the August figure.

Numbers for Metro Augusta mirror that state unemployment trend. More than 2,300 workers filed for unemployment in our area, last month, a 38% increase from a year ago, but a big improvement from August’s numbers.

State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond says 66,614 laid-off workers filed first-time claims in September, an increase of 17.6 percent from September of 2008. He says the number declined by 3,255 from August, when 69,869 claims were filed.

Thurmond adds that the average length of time jobless Georgia workers drew unemployment benefits increased from 11.8 weeks in September of 2008 to 14.0 weeks in September of 2009.

Most of the initial claims were filed by laid-off workers in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, construction, and administrative and support services.