(The Center Square) – Georgia’s job counts reached all-time highs in two sectors in August, the Department of Labor said Thursday.
The Peach State recorded 627,200 jobs in health care and social services and 521,200 in leisure and hospitality.
The retail trade industry added the most jobs, 1,900 in August, according to the department. The most significant declines were in the construction industry, which lost 3,000 jobs and the information industry, which lost 2,400.
Across all sectors, the state added 1,900 jobs in August, bringing the total number of jobs to 4,999,600, according to the department.
The number of workers also increased in August by 4,489 to 5,381,610, but was not enough to overcome a year-to-date decline in the labor force of 34,227.
The state’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.4% for August. The national unemployment rate is 4.3%.
The number of initial claims dropped in August by 6,109 to 18,621, the department said.
“Georgia is already the No. 1 state for business, and now we ‘re building a reputation as the top state for talent,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes. “With unemployment holding steady at 3.4% in August, nine-tenths below the national average, and Georgia adding workers seven months in a row, our workforce is strong and growing.”
