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Increase in Jobs, Workforce and Employed Residents in 2018

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler says 2018 was another banner year for Georgia. The department released the numbers today. Butler says the state saw increases in jobs, workforce and the number of employed residents.

“I think you’re going to continue to see unemployment rate either stay pretty close to the mid threes or get into the low threes, kind of depending on how we can attract more labor force," Butler said. "Right now you’re seeing more people employed and more jobs being added a lot faster than you’re seeing people added to be looking for these jobs. If that trend continues you’ll definitely see the unemployment rate drop a good bit,” Butler said. “What we’re hoping for though is for it to kind of stay about the same because if we’re doing that, that means we’re attracting labor force at the same rate that we’re creating jobs which is what you want to see for steady growth.”

Commissioner Butler says the state added more than 100,000 jobs in 2018 and he believes that is likely to continue in 2019.

“I think you’re going to continue to see Georgia grow jobs going into this year,” Butler said.

He says the unemployment rate fell nearly a full point over the year. Month to month, communities all across the state routinely set records.

The department’s job listing service, employeegeorgia.com, had nearly 71,000 new active job postings at the end of the year, nearly 20,000 more than a year ago.

Employ Georgia, the GDOL's online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 70,986 new active job postings in Georgia at year’s end. That’s nearly 20,000 more than a year ago.

Alexia Ridley joined WUGA as Television and Radio News Anchor and Reporter in 2013. When WUGA TV concluded operations, she became the primary Reporter for WUGA Radio. Alexia came to Athens from Macon where she served as the News Director and show host for WGXA TV. She's a career journalist and Savannah native hailing from the University of Michigan. However, Alexia considers herself an honorary UGA DAWG!