Douglasville’s Monthly Unemployment Figures Increase Significantly

Like metro Atlanta area, Douglasville’s unemployment rate increased almost a full percentage point since May according to preliminary data compiled by the Georgia Department of Labor.

Douglasville’s June preliminary unemployment rate jumped eight-tenths of a percentage point to 12.9 percent from May’s revised figure of 12.1 percent.

The number of people unemployed in the county increased by 175 from May to June based on the revised May figures. Douglas County’s labor force rose by 53 people from 14,787 in May to 14,840 in June.

There were 12,923 employed in the county in June, compared to 12,991 in May–a decrease of 68 people. However, there were 12,883 people employed in June 2010, which was 40 fewer than were employed in June 2011.

The unemployment percentage point increase for Douglasville in June mirrored that of metro Atlanta, which also went up eight-tenths of a percentage point to 10.5 percent in June from a revised 9.7 percent in May. The jobless rate in metro Atlanta in June 2010 was 10.3 percent.

“(Douglas) County remains concerned that the economic recovery has been very slow in creating jobs for our citizens,” said Wes Tallon, Douglas County’s director of the Department of Communications and Community Relations. “We encourage our young people to pursue higher education, but it is now very hard for even a college graduate to find employment. The June numbers reflect high school graduates and college graduates entering the labor market, and we are hopeful that, as the economy grows, jobs will be created.

“Douglas County continues to be aggressive with our marketing to industries and businesses to locate here so that more jobs can be created,” Tallon added.

On the up side, year-to-year Douglas County unemployment figures indicate only a slight percentage-point increase in the unemployment rate. In June 2010, Douglasville had a 12.8 percent unemployment rate based on revised figures with 1,884 unemployed out of its labor force of 14,767 people.

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler of Carrollton agreed with Tallon on the influx of new high school and college graduates impacting the unemployment rate.

“The increase was caused primarily by two seasonal factors,” Butler stated in a news release. “There were layoffs among non-contract public school employees, such as bus drivers and janitorial workers, and an increase in the labor force, as students began looking for permanent or part-time jobs.”

According to the Georgia Department of Labor, Atlanta had a net loss of 4,600 jobs, with additional layoffs in manufacturing, trade, administrative and support services, and health care and social assistance.

June marked the 47th consecutive month Georgia has topped the national unemployment rate, which stands at 9.2 percent, up from 9.1 percent in May.

From 8 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, the Georgia Department of Labor’s Cobb/Cherokee Career Center will help Sodexo recruit workers to fill about 60 job openings in restaurants and cafeterias at Kennesaw State University at The Commons, located in Building 40 at 1000 Chastain Road in Kennesaw.

Sodexo, which manages food services at KSU, will be hiring cashiers, utility workers, dish washers, bakers, lead workers, cooks, banquet servers, food service workers and baristas. While no experience is required for the jobs, all applicants must have a form of identification and be at least 18 years old.

For additional information about the recruitment, contact Michael O’Neal at the Cobb-Cherokee Career Center at 770-528-6100, or email Michael.oneal@dol.state.ga.us.