The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Metro Columbus’ unemployment rate decreased to 7.2 percent in April, down four-tenths of a percentage point from 7.6 percent in March. The rate was 7.9 percent in April a year ago.

The rate declined because Metro Columbus employers created 800 more jobs. The number of jobs increased to 122,100 in April, up from 121,300 in March. Most of the job gains came in trade, transportation, and warehousing, leisure and hospitality, and professional and business services.

Over the year, the number of jobs increased by 600, or 0.5 percent, from 121,500 jobs in April 2013. The big job gainers were professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and finance and insurance.

The number of new layoffs, represented by initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits, increased by 59, or 8.2 percent, to 782 from 723 in March. Most of the increase in claims came in manufacturing, retail trade, transportation and warehousing, and other service-related industries. There were 839 claims filed in April 2013.

Metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 4.9 percent, while the Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 8.8 percent.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April was 7.0 percent, unchanged from March. The rate was 8.3 percent in April a year ago.