3 reasons why Atlanta’s job picture improved

Metro Atlanta’s unemployment rate ticked down to 6.1 percent in February from 6.2 percent in January, the state labor department said Thursday.

Here’s why:

— Employers created 12,200 more jobs in February. Much of the gain came in professional and business services, construction, education, and leisure and hospitality.

— Even the government hired 2,800 new workers in February.

— Layoffs (measured by new claims for unemployment insurance) declined by 38.6 percent in February. A total of 8,819 fewer workers got pink slips. Most of that decrease came in administrative and support services, manufacturing, trade, transportation and warehousing, and accommodations and food services.