The unemployment rate in Polk County rose to 11.3 percent in February, up slightly from 11.2 percent in January, the Georgia Department of Labor reported. The jobless rate in Polk County in February 2009 was 9.9 percent. Unemployment in the Northwest Georgia region dropped slightly between January and February, from 11.5 percent to 11.4 percent. The number of unemployed workers also dropped from 46,619 in January to 46,013 in February. The jobless rate in the Northwest Georgia area in February 2009 was 10.4 percent. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to a record 10.5 percent in February, up one-tenth of a percentage point from January. This marks the 29th consecutive month that Georgia has exceeded the national seasonally adjusted rate, which was 9.7 percent. The state’s February jobless rate was up 1.8 percentage points from 8.7 percent at this same time last year. Statewide 66,069 laid-off workers filed initial claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 29,195, or 30.6 percent from 95,264 in January. And, there was a decline of 20,450, or 23.6 percent, from 86,519 claims filed in February 2009. Most of the first-time claims filed were in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, construction, and administrative and support services.
2010-04-02