Georgia’s unemployment picture did not improve from February to March as the jobless rate remained at 6.3 percent, the state labor department said Thursday.

Here’s what happened:

— The number of jobs declined slightly, by 0.2 percent, to total 4,239,500 in March. Most of the job losses came in accommodations and food services, construction and manufacturying. Some of those losses were offset by gains in health care and social assistance, retail, and finance and insurance.

— The number of layoffs measured by initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 2.1 percent from February to March. Almost a third of the claims were from temporary layoffs, primarily in manufacturing and construction.

— The job market has improved from a year ago when the unemployment rate was 7.3 percent. The state’s current rate of 6.3 percent matched its lowest level since July 2008. But Georgia continues to trail the national average, currently 5.5 percent.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Electrical equipment and components manufactured by Socomec Group, which announced a Suwanee facility in November 2025. (Handout)

Credit: Courtesy of Socomec Group

Featured

U.S. Rep. Mike Collins' Senate campaign used Sen. Jon Ossoff's Senate portrait (center) to create an AI-generated video of Ossoff talking about his vote not to end the government shutdown.  The video was reposted to Collins' campaign account on X (left). (Screenshot)

Credit: Screenshot