Georgia Unemployment Rises to Record 9.7%
Published: June 18, 2009
Updated: June 23, 2009
ATLANTA (AP) - The state says Georgia’s unemployment rate for
May has hit the highest level in history - 9.7 percent.
Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said the rate released on
Thursday is a “stark reminder” that the road to economic recovery
will be long and difficult.
The unemployment rate compared with a revised 9.2 percent in
April.
Last month, 463,883 unemployed Georgians were looking for work,
an increase of 62 percent from May of 2008. Of that number,
157,544, or 34 percent, are receiving state unemployment insurance
benefits, while approximately another 90,000 are receiving federal
extended benefits.
The May jobless rate was up 3.8 percentage points from 5.9
percent at this time last year. Georgias unemployment rate is
above the national rate of 9.4 percent for the 19th consecutive
month.
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