Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Coastal Georgia’s labor force increased in July. 

Additionally, Coastal Georgia saw a monthly increase in employed residents and a monthly decrease in initial claims for July. 

“As the state continues to reopen, we are going to see wild fluctuations up and down of the unemployment rate across the state,” said Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler.  “The numbers that we really need to focus on are the most important ones, such as increases in workforce and employment which we are continuing to see in almost all regions and counties.” 

In Coastal Georgia, the unemployment rate remained unchanged, holding at 8 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3.8 percent.

The labor force increased in July by 4,746. The July total was 320,829. That number is down by 11,798 from the total from July 2019.

Coastal Georgia ended July with 295,186 employed residents.  The number increased by 4,382 in July but was down 24,879 as compared to last year.

Initial claims for unemployment decreased by 25 percent in July. When compared to last July, claims were up by about 1,864 percent.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 7,089 active job postings in Coastal Georgia for July.