3 reasons why Atlanta’s job picture improved

The metro area added 12,200 jobs in February.

The metro area added 12,200 jobs in February.

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.