Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Coastal Georgia’s unemployment rate spiked in April, reaching an all-time high. 

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 all-time high unemployment rates across a majority of the state, we are continuing to work with employers on effective strategies to get Georgians back to work in both a safe and economically efficient way,” said Butler. 

In Coastal Georgia, the unemployment rate increased in April to 14 percent, an increase of 9.4 percentage points. A year ago, the rate was 3 percent.   

The number of unemployment claims dramatically increased by 266 percent in April due to COVID-19 lay-offs. When compared to last April, claims were up by about 10,811 percent.

The labor force decreased in April by 22,106. The April total was 311,028. That number is down by 18,829 from the total from April 2018.

Coastal Georgia ended April with 267,520 employed residents.  The number decreased by 50,454 in April and was down 52,366 as compared to last year. 

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.comshowed 4,442 active job postings in Coastal Georgia for April