Macon unemployment rate creeps up in December; Warner Robins' rate remains steady

Macon's unemployment rate for December was 5.8 percent, up from a revised 5.7 percent in November.

The rate in Macon's metropolitan area for December 2014 was 6.7 percent, according to a news release from the Georgia Department of Labor.

The preliminary rate for November 2015 was 5.8 percent, but it was revised down one-tenth of a percentage point to 5.7 percent.

The rate rose as the labor force increased by 428 to 102,121, the release said. When new people who enter the labor force are searching for work, they're counted as unemployed.

The number of jobs was unchanged at 102,900 from November to December. However, over the year, Macon lost 500 jobs, mostly in trade and transportation, down from 103,400 in December 2014.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 55, or 6 percent, to 863 in December. Most of the decrease came in manufacturing. And over the year, claims were down by 474, or 35.5 percent, from 1,337 claims in December 2014.

The metro Warner Robins unemployment rate for December was 5.6 percent, unchanged from November, the release said. The rate in December 2014 was 6.4 percent.

Warner Robins' rate is at its lowest point since June 2008 when it was 5.5 percent.

While the rate was unchanged, the number of jobs decreased by 200, and new layoffs, as measured by initial unemployment insurance claims, increased by 16.

The number of jobs decreased to 69,900, or .2 percent, from 70,100 in November.

Over the year, Warner Robins lost 1,100 jobs, down from 71,000 in December 2014.

The number of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 2.8 percent, to 590 in December. Most of the increase came in retail trade and construction. However, over the year, claims were down by 256, or 30.3 percent, from 846 in December 2014.

Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www.dol.georgia.gov.

To contact writer Linda S. Morris call 744-4223, or follow her on Twitter@MidGaBiz.

This story was originally published January 28, 2016 at 5:37 PM with the headline "Macon unemployment rate creeps up in December; Warner Robins' rate remains steady ."