The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that metro Columbus’ unemployment rate was unchanged at 7.6 percent from November to December, but was down from 9.0 percent in December a year ago.

While the unemployment rate was unchanged, the number of jobs in metro Columbus declined by 200 to 121,100 in December. The loss was mostly in leisure and hospitality and financial services.

However, the over-the-year job numbers show an increase of 600, or 0.5 percent, since December 2012, when there were 120,500 jobs. Most of the job gains came in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, finance, and retail trade.

At the same time, the number of new layoffs, represented by initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, increased to 2,379, up by 1,259, or 112.4 percent, from 1,120 in November. Claims increased in several sectors, including accommodations and food services, manufacturing, construction, and administrative and support services. There were 1,343 claims in December 2012.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.2 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 10.2 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December was 7.4 percent, down from 7.6 percent in November. The rate was 8.7 percent in December a year ago.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.state.ga.us.