Increase mirrors US as Georgia employers add jobs in June

ATLANTA - The big June jump in payrolls nationwide was also seen in Georgia, as the state’s employers added more than 30,000 workers, continuing to close the gap with how many workers were employed before the pandemic.

The increase came as Georgia’s unemployment rate fell for the 14th straight month, dipping to 4% in June from 4.1% in May. State jobless rates jumped to an all-time high during the pandemic and stood at 8.4% in June 2020, as the recovery was just getting in gear.

The number of unemployed people edged down to about 208,000 in June as a few more people found jobs and the labor force remained mostly flat.

Georgia payrolls rose above 4.5 million for the first time since March 2020, in a measure considered the most important by economists. Payrolls remain about 3% below their pre-pandemic levels, but the gap has been narrowing.

Nonfarm payroll employment grew by 850,000 nationwide in June, the biggest leap since August. The nationwide jobless rate in June was 5.9%.

The Georgia Department of Labor released the job figures Thursday, adjusted to cancel out seasonal changes.

The number of Georgia workers filing for new unemployment benefits fell below 14,000 in the week ended July 10, the lowest level since the beginning of the pandemic.

About 106,000 people were still collecting regular state unemployment in the week ended July 3, also the lowest level since March 2020.

After June 26, Georgia cut off programs that paid special federal assistance to people who are not usually eligible for regular unemployment, as well a $300-a-week boost to people.

WATCH: FOX 5 Atlanta live news coverage

_____

Sign up for FOX 5 email alerts

Download the FOX 5 Atlanta app for breaking news and weather alerts.