Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Coastal Georgia’s unemployment rate decreased in May. 

Due to the effects of COVID-19, all regions and counties continue to see stinted yearly growth, yet monthly gains in nearly all major sectors are beginning to spike.  

“The fact that almost every single monthly indicator in May’s job market report was positive shows great promise to Georgia’s economy up ahead,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler. “Seeing these monthly numbers begin to increase means that we are definitely heading back in the right direction.”   

In Coastal Georgia, the unemployment rate decreased in May to 10.3 percent, a decrease of 3.8 percentage points. A year ago, the rate was 3.2 percent.

The labor force increased in May by 2,413. The May total was 315,201. That number is down by 16,364 from the total from May 2018.

Coastal Georgia ended May with 282,877 employed residents.  The number increased by 14,087 in May and was down 37,929 as compared to last year.

Initial claims for unemployment decreased by 37 percent in May. When compared to last May, claims were up by about 5,438 percent. 

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 4,487 active job postings in Coastal Georgia for May.