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The unemployment rate in White County rose in November, but remains at a prepandemic level.
The unemployment rate in White County rose in November, but remains at a prepandemic level.
The Georgia Department of Labor reported the county’s preliminary rate at 2.8% for the month, up from an adjusted 2.3% in October, which was the lowest it has been this year. In November 2019, the rate was a 2.1%, which is believed to be an all-time low for the county.
The county’s jobless rate spiked from March’s 3.5% to 10.5% in April amid the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has decreased five of the seven months since then.
The current labor report listed a preliminary count of 473 unemployed out of a civilian labor force of 16,716. There were 1,761 people listed as unemployed in April.
Unemployment also rose in November for the 13-county Georgia Mountains Local Workforce Development Area, which includes White County. The regional rate rose from 2.9% to 3.5%.
The GDOL noted there was also overall growth the the region’s labor force, which was up by 3,615 during the month, with an additional 1,284 employed residents.
“In November, almost all regions and counties saw over-the-month growth in every key indicator,” said Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “Although the unemployment rate increased across the state, we have held consistently steady numbers in areas such as job growth and employment. We will continue to fill the jobs that are currently available, in order for us to move our economy back to where it was prepandemic.”
Georgia’s preliminary unemployment rate increased to 5.4% in November. It was 4.4% in October, the lowest it has been since the state began facing the pandemic outbreak. The state had a record high of 12.2% in April. The state jobless rate was at 2.8% in November 2019.