The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced today that Georgia's November unemployment rate was 3.7 percent, up one tenth from a revised 3.6 percent in October. The unemployment rate was five-tenths lower than the national unemployment rate.

“Despite a slight uptick in unemployment this November, Georgia’s economy remains among the strongest in the nation,” said GDOL Emergency Interim Successor Louis DeBroux. “We've added 85,000 workers to the labor force and created nearly 46,000 new job opportunities over the past 12 months, bringing us closer to the milestone of five million jobs. With unemployment still well below the national average, Georgia further establishes itself as the premier state for businesses to thrive and families of hardworking Georgians to prosper.”

Jobs were down by 2,000 over the month and up by 45,900 over the year to 4,983,400.

The sectors with the most over-the-month job gains included Health Care and Social Assistance, 2,300; Finance and Insurance, 2,000; Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, 1,400; Transportation and Warehousing, 1,300; and Local Government, 1,200.

Jobs were down over-the-month in Accommodation and Food Services, -3,000; Administrative and Support Services, -2,600; Retail Trade, -1,100; Durable Goods Manufacturing, -900; and Wholesale Trade, -800. Jobs were at an all-time high in Government, 721,800, and Private Education and Health Services, 698,100.

The sectors with the most over-the-year job gains included Health Care and Social Assistance, 22,900; Accommodation and Food Services, 11,800; Local Government, 11,700; Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, 5,200; and State Government, 3,900. 

Jobs were down over-the-year in Administrative and Support Services, -13,300; Wholesale Trade, -4,200; Information, which includes Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries, -3,700; Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, -1,400; and Transportation and Warehousing, -500. 

The labor force was down 3,000 to 5,413,644, the first drop in the labor force since November 2023, and was up 84,664 over the past 12 months.

The number of employed was down 5,217 to 5,215,239 and was up 57,184 over the past 12 months.

The number of unemployed was up 2,217 to 198,405, the highest level since July 2021, and was up 27,480 over the past 12 months.

Initial claims were down 9,323 over the month to 19,319 in November.  Initial claims were down 2,997 over the year.