Jobless rate rises in June
ATLANTA -- Georgia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 9.9 percent in June.
That's up one-tenth of a percentage point from a revised 9.8 percent in May, according to state labor commissioner Mark Butler.
"The unemployment rate inched up slightly because of normal seasonal factors, primarily involving the end of the school year," Butler said. "Non-contract school workers such as bus drivers, lunchroom and janitorial workers are usually laid off during the summer school break."
The loss of 12,400 seasonal jobs in state and local public school systems accounted for the bulk of the 14,600 payroll jobs lost throughout the state.
"Also, new graduates began searching for jobs and are counted as unemployed while doing so," Butler said.